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By Alicia Mmashakana
The Water and Sanitation epartment has commended Tembisa West Secondary School for winning the Gauteng leg of the 2025 South African Youth Water Prize.
The competition challenged students in Grade 9 to 11 studying Mathematics and Physical Science to identify real-world water, sanitation or environmental issues in their communities and respond with innovative awareness campaigns or technical solutions.
The school’s Siyabonga Khuzwayo, who was mentored by Kiew Mthombeni, was crowned the Gauteng champion and will represent the province at the forthcoming national adjudication later this month.
Bryanston High School from Johannesburg came in second place and was followed by Afrikaanse Hoër Meisieskool Pretoria.
Schools that showed extraordinary creativity and effort received special recognition awards.
The Outstanding Innovation Award also went to Tembisa West Secondary School. Protea Glen Secondary School received the Outstanding Awareness Campaign Award and Buhlebemfundo Secondary School was recognised for the best research paper.
The department collaborates with the Stockholm International Water Institute on the competition.
Its goal is to empower young South Africans to become future leaders in water resource management by involving them in science and technology-driven innovation initiatives.
The panel of judges, made up of officials from the department, young professionals from Rand Water, scientists and engineers from the Tshwane University of Technology and Unisa, undertook to continue supporting the participating schools with training and mentoring programmes to help the pupils refine and improve their projects of their students.
INSIDE EDUCATION