Krugersdorp High School’s (KHS) public speaking teams recently competed in the Speech and Drama College competition, where they impressed judges with their presentation skills and achieved top grades.

Learners from KHS took part in several teams across different grades.

According to coach Caitlin Swanevelder, the matric group included an open team of four learners, an individual speaker, and a trophy team consisting of three learners. In Grades Eight to 11, the school entered two teams, each made up of four learners.

Participants are judged on several aspects, including the quality and relevance of the information in their speeches, as well as tone and intonation, eye contact, body language, timing and overall confidence. Learners work hard to develop speeches that are informative, engaging and well-delivered to capture the audience’s attention.

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“The competition is hosted across Johannesburg, with different schools volunteering to host the various rounds. This year, we also volunteered to host a round for our area,” said Caitlin.

The learners also take part in several other competitions, including the South African Literacy Association, Speech and Drama College, National Eisteddfod Academy, Model United Nations, the South African Speech Association 2026 Championship and the Johannesburg Youth Arts Festival.

According to Caitlin, the main goal for the teams this year is to develop confident and capable speakers. Beyond competition results, the programme also aims to create opportunities for learners in fields such as radio, hosting, presenting and MC work.

“We want to help them showcase their talents and realise their full potential,” she concluded.