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Sbahle Zwane, 10, sits next to his mother in their small house in Lehae, Lenasia, south of Johannesburg. He quickly volunteers to demonstrate his incredible maths abilities by counting up to 900 in multiples of 9.
When he's done he falls silent again. It seems he only wants to talk numbers.
"He's a happy child," says his mother. "But he likes to play alone. He uses stones to write numbers on the ground because I can't afford to get him the stationery he needs."
Mbali, his mother, says while she noticed her son's profound ability before he started preschool, it was only when one of his teachers called her in to school that she realised that his knack for numbers was extraordinary.
"I did notice at first," says Mbali. "But I didn't pay too much attention to it."
Mbali, who has been unemployed since Sbahle started school, says she wanted to enrol her son in a private school but could not afford to.
"Sbahle needs special attention because he can't focus around groups of people," says Mbali. "But in his class, they (children) are many."
She explains that he struggles with other subjects at school as a result.
"I am very proud of him. I wish him well," says Mbali.
"Maybe he might get exposure and as time goes by, who knows, there might be someone watching who can help get him into a good school."
