Read Alex competition shines a spotlight on the next generation of young leaders
Read Alex gave learners a platform to reflect on the sacrifices of the youth of 1976 while affirming today’s freedoms in education and language.
Learners from multiple high schools across Alexandra took to the stage, overcoming stage fright, shyness, and the everyday pressures of township life to deliver exceptional speeches at the Read Alex Public Speaking Competition in Alexandra on June 6.
The event shone a spotlight on emerging leaders in grades 8, 9, and 10, offering them a platform to articulate their views on critical social, historical, and political matters in front of a supportive audience.
What stood out was not just the quality of their delivery, but the depth of reflection and maturity they brought to issues affecting their community and generation.
Dimpho Angela Nkosi, a learner at Alex Secondary School, focused on the 1976 Soweto Uprising. She reflected on whether the sacrifices of those young martyrs had been worth it before affirming their lasting impact.
“Education today is in our hands. We get to choose the schools we want to learn at without discrimination based on our race, and the credit goes to all those who fought for us in 1976.”
Building on her remarks, another learner, Onami Ndebele, said young people can now learn freely using their mother tongue, learn languages they understand and live in a country that values diversity.
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Among other topics, some learners made a compelling case for lowering the voting age to 16, pointing out the inconsistency in a system where 16-year-olds can work, pay taxes, and be tried as adults, yet are excluded from electoral participation.
All participating learners received certificates of participation.
The top three performers in each grade category were awarded special gifts, while the overall top performer in each grade earned a prestigious opportunity to join the six-month Junior Unforgettable Speakers Programme, valued at R11 700.
Speaking after the competition, Ryan Lenora Brown, head of Read Alex, said the learners exceeded her expectations.
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“There were a lot of challenges presented to us by these learners. But it really gives me hope and optimism to see that we have these young people who are looking to make Alex a better place.”
Read Alex, a community literacy and education programme under Read Alex Athletics Club, began about three years ago, initially to help junior members of their running club build confidence and reading skills through weekend programmes.
It has since expanded into a broader community youth-oriented programme.
“We want young people in Alex to see language as a tool to make their voices heard clearly and tell their own stories,” Brown said.
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