WESTVILLE Senior Primary School learner Ashton Singh was the first runner-up in the junior category of the 2025 Spelling Bee competition.

The winners of the Spelling Bee were announced after two thrilling days of competition and camaraderie at Sun City recently.

Learners from eight provinces (Gauteng, Limpopo, North West, KwaZulu-Natal, Western Cape, Northern Cape, Eastern Cape, and Free State) competed in a celebration of literacy, language diversity, and national pride.

Representing the best of South Africa’s junior and senior spellers, the champions emerged after a rigorous series of elimination rounds that tested speed, accuracy, and comprehension.

Speaking after the awards presentation, Roger Dickinson, CEO of the South African Spelling Bee, congratulated the learners and emphasised the significance of the milestone year.

“Reaching our 15th year is a proud achievement, not just for the competition itself, but for the advancement of literacy in South Africa. Each year, we witness children from every corner of the country gain confidence and mastery through words. They remind us that literacy is the key to unlocking the nation’s potential,” said Dickinson.

The 2025 edition also highlighted the incredible diversity and talent across provinces. From rural schools to city classrooms, the competition demonstrated that excellence in literacy knows no boundaries.

Represented by Musa Zulu, assistant director of the Reading Directorate, the Department of Basic Education (DBE) expressed its appreciation for the platform that the South African Spelling Bee affords to young spellers.

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“The DBE is very proud to be part of this programme, and we fully support it. The spelling bee helps our learners with communication and life skills,” said Zulu.

He encouraged the learners to embrace all languages and embody the diversity of the country’s linguistic heritage as a basic foundation of communication.

This year’s spelling bee included multiple South African languages such as South African Sign Language, as well as the introduction of Italian and Shona words.

Cathy Setswambung, the Acting Director of General Education Training (GET) and Further Education Training (FET) in North West, said it was an honour to host all the learners in the platinum province.

She emphasised the importance of the spelling bee as a conduit to literacy and confidence building. She urged other provinces to play an active role in literacy programmes of this nature and ensure that South African learners are able to read for meaning.

“We have to support our learners with word recognition and sound recognition, and the spelling bee is one of the strategies we are employing to improve reading in our province,” she said.

She also commended the role that parents and teachers play in supporting the children, and said this was vital.

In conclusion, Dickinson highlighted that this year’s winners will now join other learners from around the continent to compete at the continental championships.

“Our champion spellers make up Team South Africa, and they will compete at the African Spelling Bee Championships in Harare, Zimbabwe in March 2026, where they will showcase their skills against the continent’s best. Their journey is proof that when we invest in literacy, we invest in the future of Africa,” said Dickinson.

The winners of this year’s competition are:

Junior Category Winners:

1 Junior Champion: Mbulelo Tolom – Klerksdorp Primary School (NW)

2 Junior 1st Runner-up: Ashton Singh – Westville Senior Primary School (KZN)

3 Junior 2nd Runner-up: George van Wyngaard – Pretoria Boys High School (GP).

Senior Category Winners:

1 Senior Champion: Ifeoma Osondo – Milnerton High (WC)

2 Senior 1st Runner-up: (name withheld)

3 Senior 2nd Runner-up: Xilombe Xivuri – St Brendan’s High School (LP).

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