HILLCREST High School learners, Lubanzi Maluleka, Keegan Compton-James, and Osaze Mhlongo, have been selected to advance to the semi-finals of the South African Literacy Association (SALA) Speaking Competition to be held on May 23.

“While the first round of the competition required video submissions, the semi-final round will take place in person,” said Hillcrest High School principal Denise Knight. “Advancing to a semi-final is not luck — it is preparation meeting opportunity. We congratulate each of the learners who participated and wish those who will compete in the semi-finals all the best.”

Maluleka and Compton-James both submitted speeches in the Public Speaking category, while Mhlongo entered the Campaign Speech category. Two other learners, Simphiwe Mostert and Simtholile Ngcobo, also submitted speeches in the Public Speaking category – Mostert in the Grade 12 category and Ngcobo in the Grade 11 division. The learners achieved outstanding results. Compton-James earned a score of 87%, Maluleka achieved 85%, Mhlongo followed with 83%, Mostert scored 82.85%, and Ngcobo 74.42%.

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The school’s public speaking coaches, Elton Smith and Elton Moore, as well as the teacher-in-charge of speaking clubs, Shreshtha Ramsout, were extremely pleased with the results achieved by the learners.

SALA is an educational organisation that promotes literacy, reading, writing, and language education. SALA believes that good public speaking skills are a crucial skill and an art that should be refined. Established by an English teacher in 2012, the organisation set out to give the youth of South Africa – tomorrow’s leaders – the opportunity to better themselves in this skill.

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