KZN pupils put province on SADC intellectual map
The SADC competition is open to secondary school pupils across the region and aims to promote youth participation in regional integration
Two KwaZulu-Natal students have brought pride to their province by earning top honors in the 2026 Southern African Development Community (SADC) Secondary School Essay Competition. Siyambonga Makhoba claimed first place, while Alwande Madlala secured third among South Africa's national winners. The students tackled the question of how Southern Africa can drive industrialization, transform agriculture, and shift towards cleaner energy sources.
KwaZulu-Natal Education MEC Sipho Hlomuka praised the achievement, stating it showcased the academic abilities of students in the province. He noted that the competition fosters critical thinking, research, innovation, and academic excellence among young people. Hlomuka also recognized the vital role of educators, school leaders, and families in supporting the students' success and encouraged others to take advantage of similar opportunities to develop their skills.
Both learners represented KwaZulu-Natal with distinction, and Hlomuka expressed confidence that this accomplishment would be the start of many more successes for the students.
Written by urgent.news from The Citizen's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
