WELKOM – Six high school learners from Thabong and Meloding in the Lejweleputswa District will represent the Free State at the annual Safer South Africa Foundation (SSAF) #Youth4SaferSouthAfrica National Debate and Leadership Championship.
The Free State provincial team comprises Kamohelo Lebese, Lekgarietse Secondary School; Palesa Lethaka, Lekgarietse Secondary School; Mosa Malitjane, Lekgarietse Secondary School; Dibuseng Nkoala, Mamello Secondary School; Mamello Secondary School learner Boitumelo Tlhone; and Vuyiswa Peter, also from Mamello Secondary School.
The six finalists qualified through regional training sessions involving schools in the Welkom and Virginia areas, securing their places at the national final.
In the fifth year of excellence
Now in its fifth year, the competition will take place in person in Johannesburg on 5 September 2026.
Over six weeks, participants have taken part in mentorship and training facilitated by The Training Firm (TTF) as part of the public speaking, speechcraft and thought leadership programme.
The participants were selected from a group of high-performing learners who submitted winning essays from schools that completed SSAF’s experiential crime prevention course, the Communities and Justice Programme (CJP).
The debating rounds leading up to the final were conducted virtually over weekends and involved 215 learners in Grades 8 to 11.
Reimagining the Legacy of June 16
This year’s competition is centred on the theme: “50 Years On: Reimagining the Legacy of June 16 for the South African Learner of Tomorrow.”
Fifty years after the 1976 Soweto Youth Uprising, the championship challenges learners to take on the role of members of a National Youth Education Council. Teams must develop and present a practical vision for the future of South African education.
Their proposals are expected to balance African history and local culture with the technical skills required to participate in an increasingly interconnected global economy.
According to SSAF, debate training can provide particular benefits to learners attending schools with limited resources and facing academic challenges. Structured argument and research help develop reading comprehension, critical analysis, written expression and confidence – skills that can also contribute to improved classroom performance.
Programme equips learners with practical tools
The programme also equips learners with practical tools to analyse complex issues, express their views and make informed decisions when confronted with social pressures, including crime and gang activity.
“Our young debaters show thorough research and clear thinking,” said Pitso Mereko, Free State Provincial Coordinator for the Safer South Africa Foundation.
“Debate teaches practical skills that raise academic results and build responsible citizens. These six learners are ready to present solutions on the national stage.”
The championship forms part of SSAF’s Communities and Justice Programme, which is delivered in partnership with the South African Police Service, Department of Basic Education, National Prosecuting Authority, Department of Correctional Services and civil society organisations.
