A Mpumalanga schoolgirl has taken top honours in a national public speaking competition.
Kanyisile Vilakazi, a grade 12 learner from Lowveld High in Nelspruit, edged out competitors from around the country to win the 2009 Young Communicator of the Year competition, earning herself a R30 000 study bursary and R10 000 for her school.
Now in its 16th year, the Young Communicators Awards (YCA) has become one of the most highly anticipated events on the debating calendar as it continues to uncover local public speaking talent and potential leaders of South Africa.
Participants are required to present a speech of between three and five minutes in length, on any topic, during elimination rounds at district and regional level.
Thereafter an average of 12 learners per province compete at the provincial final, with the winners in the nine provinces qualifying for the national phase of the competition.
For Vilakazi, an avid reader who is a regular in her school’s debating team, the competition was an opportunity to meet up with like-minded young people and also an ‘opportunity for personal growth’.
“It was quite a nerve-wrecking experience to take part in the competition, but at the same time it was very exciting,” she told the Teacher.
“As young people we have become obsessed with the ‘Mtv’ culture and in many cases we have lost touch with what should be important to us.”
“That’s the reason I chose the topic of political emancipation for the finals of the contest. I wanted to get my fellow contestants and other young people thinking about what this freedom we enjoy has cost others and what we are doing to represent these ideals.”
Open to learners in grades 11 and 12, the competition promotes English language oral communication amongst second and third language speakers, while encouraging a pioneering spirit among the young people of South Africa, nurturing their assertiveness and embracing leadership development and personal growth.
“A wise person told me that today was the beginning of my future,” said Kanyisile. “I will now be able to fulfil my dream of studying business science at UCT next year.”
Approximately 9 000 learners have participated in YCA since its inception as a partnership between Anglo American and the national department of education in 1994. Past participants have gone on to make their marks in various fields, including well-known television personality Zola in 1996.