The National Creative Arts Youth Festival offers a Life Skills Competition where learners can showcase their abilities in different types of public speaking. There are a number of different categories in which learners can compete i.e. Public Speaking, Poetry Speaking, Story-telling, Choral Verse among others. This year we had a record number of entries for the 20 May competition. A large number of senior learners bravely entered the Public Speaking category. This involved the presentation of a formal speech of about 5 minutes on a selected topic such as ‘Ubuntu’. Domino Servite learners excelled. Thato Mosebi (Gr 12), Stephan Botes (Gr 11), Zanele Sithole (Gr 10) and Nelile Dladla (Gr 9) came first in their grades. Poetry Speaking had the largest number of entries. Learners could recite a poem from the selection given or one of their choice. There were some very creative presentations. Eight learners achieved first position in their grade in this category i.e.Anneli Sishange (Gr 12), Snenhlanhla Mkhwanazi (Gr 9) tied with Bongiwe Mhlongo (Gr 9), Thlolo Mosebi (Gr 8), Gabrielle Huber (Gr 7), Madeli Marloth (Gr 6), Heinrich Marloth (Gr 4), Timothy Thiem (Gr 1). The story-telling category is rather challenging. To tell a story in an interesting manner without getting the facts mixed up, is no small feat, especially when one is being judged. Thato Mosebi (Gr 12), Thandeka Cibane (Gr 11) and Bongiwe Mhlongo (Gr 9) achieved first position in their grades.
Thato Mosebi and Bongiwe Mhlongo deserve to be congratulated. Both achieved two first positions in this competition. Thato achieved first position in the Public Speaking and Story-telling categories and Bongiwe, in the Poetry Speaking and Story-telling categories.
Mrs E Gouws