Soneike High School in Kuils River will receive R35 000 worth of library resources thanks to their head boy Lihle Mdiza’s winning poetry entry.
The current matric learner is among the winners of the Western Cape Education Department’s School Library Competition of 2025.
The competition winners were announced by provincial education minister David Maynier on Monday 16 March during a ceremony at Watsonia Primary School in Kraaifontein. The announcement marked the start of South African Library Week.
Maths as a language
Learners were invited in October last year to enter the competition themed: “Do you speak Maths?” for a chance to win library resources for their schools. Foundation phase learners could enter a poster or drawing.
In the poetry section for Grades 4 to 12, learners had to write a poem answering the following questions: In what way is maths a language? Why is maths so important? How would winning school library resources improve learner performance in all subjects?
Monday’s event was also about highlighting the importance of building a strong foundation of reading during a child’s school years.
Ten winners were announced and each winning school will receive R35 000 to spend on school library resources.
Explaining the competition’s theme, Maynier said: “Learners often struggle with word problems in maths assessments, so we used the opportunity to highlight the relationship between mathematics and language, and their vital role in supporting learning across all subjects.”
The competition was run with the support of the department’s Education Library and Information Services (EDULIS).
“We are delighted by the creativity of the entries we received,” Maynier said.
Commitment
Principal Ronel Baker said the win reflects the school’s strong commitment to literacy and reading: “As a school we are so committed to reading. We were the first school to receive mobile libraries, we also have our own library and we have our own literacy strategy,.”
TygerBurger reported in the past on the school’s library and media centre as well as a recent poetry book launch. “Our school launched our own poetry book and now Lihle is the winner of another poetry competition. So I think that’s the message out there, that we are a school that’s committed to literacy.”
Baker said she and all the school’s English teachers attended the WCED’s literacy campaign launched on Saturday.
“It will always be a continuous commitment to getting our kids to read and preparing them for higher education.
Winners
The 2025 School Library Competition winners are (grade as in 2025):
Foundation Phase poster/drawing:
- Seth Buckton (Grade 1) — West End Primary School, Mitchell’s Plain
- Daniel Claasen (Grade 1) — Watsonia Primary School, Kraaifontein
- Sivuyile Jase (Grade 2) — Dalubuhle Primary School, Franschhoek
Primary school poetry:
- Imange Komna (Grade 7) — Phakamisani Primary School, KwaNokuthula
- Kara Dreyer (Grade 5) — Durbanville Primary School, Durbanville
- Ahlumile Petu (Grade 7) — Moshesh Primary School, Langa
High school poetry:
- Calvino Snyman (Grade 9) — Ashbury Primary School, Montagu
- Aliswa Dolfi (Grade 8) — Makupula Secondary School, Stellenbosch
- Siqhamo Malashe (Grade 10) — Centre of Science and Technology, Khayelitsha
- Lihle Mdiza (Grade 11) — Soneike High School, Kuils River
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