Free State, North West and KwaZulu Natal triumph at 5th Youth4SaferSA national debate championship
The Safer South Africa Foundation (SSAF) announced today that Free State Province won first place at the 5th Youth4SaferSA Debate Championship. North West took second place and KwaZulu-Natal came third.
The championship brought 254 learners from 25 schools together across all nine provinces. Participating Grade 8 to 11 learners came from townships and rural areas with high rates of poverty and crime, including Polokwane, Kimberly, Cape Town, Soweto, East London, Klerksdorp and Welkom as well as Ehlanzeni District area in Mpumalanga.
The competition coincides with UNESCO International Literacy Day on 8 September. This year’s theme is “Literacy for People, the Planet and Prosperity.” The 2026 theme frames literacy as a basic human right. It connects reading and writing skills directly to inclusion, environmental awareness and workforce preparation.
Lekgarietse Secondary School and Mamello Secondary School fielded the winning Free State team. Matlosana Secondary School and Alabama Secondary School represented North West. KwaZulu-Natal sent learners from Pinetown Boys High School, Wyebank Secondary School and Eric Mtshali Secondary School.
SSAF’s Free State Provincial Coordinator Mr Pitso Mereko praised the champions: “Team Free State showed complete discipline on stage. Their research was thorough and their arguments held up under intense questioning. They built public speaking and critical thinking skills that will stay with them long after this tournament.”
The winning team’s captain, Dibuseng Nkoala, reflected on the victory: “We spent six weeks preparing intensely for these debates and seeing that hard work pay off with a national victory is an incredible feeling. Debating helped us build critical thinking skills, improve our academic performance and boost our confidence.
“We want to thank the Safer South Africa Foundation, our teachers, our parents, and everyone who supported us along the way. Researching this year’s theme taught us how policy decisions work and gave us confidence to offer practical solutions,” she added.
The 2026 competition theme was “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 asked learners to act as members of a National Youth Education Council.
Teams presented a practical vision for South African schooling. Their proposals were a balance of African history and local culture with the technical skills needed in an interconnected global economy.
SSAF CEO, Riah Phiyega, noted the competition’s impact: “Reaching our fifth national championship is a significant milestone for SSAF. Every team brought sharp arguments to the stage. When young people get a platform like this, they show they can drive real change regardless of where they start in life.”
Pick n Pay School Club, Workerslife, Momentum Health, Medscheme, Old Mutual, First National Bank – Consumer Education Division, Joburg Threater, Tshwane University of Technology, Rivers Foundation, The Banking Association South Africa, Cartel Group SA, Institute for Performance Management, Insurance Institute of South Africa, Mkhwanazi Inc. supported the debate championship with prizes.
