Ehlanzeni Einsteins impress at science expo
A grade 12 pupil from Mahhushe Agricultural High School won a bursary worth R1,5 million from Siemens as part of the Eskom Expo for Young Scientists International Science Fair.
MBOMBELA – The Lowveld’s young scientists made the province proud last week, when pupils from Ehlanzeni District performed better than any other participating region at the annual Eskom Expo for Young Scientists International Science Fair.
It was held at the Birchwood Conference Centre in Boksburg from October 3 to 6. Eskom has been the main sponsor of the event for several years.
Read more: Learners shine at expos
Other stakeholders included the Department of Basic Education, Department of Science and Technology, Siemens, SA Express, FFS Refiners, University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, University of Pretoria and the Department of Public Enterprises.
It was the 37th annual event to be held in South Africa, and it was even attended by participants from countries such as Brazil, Mozambique, Swaziland, Tanzania, Ghana, Nigeria, Zimbabwe and Lesotho. There were 521 projects and 638 participants.
The prize-giving sessions were attended by the minister of science and technology Naledi Pandor, deputy minister of public enterprises Ben Martins, deputy minister of education Enver Surty, and many other dignitaries from Eskom and other stakeholders.
Read more: Young analytical minds impress at expo
Fiona Khoza, a grade 12 pupil from Mahhushe Agricultural High School in Mzinti, won a bursary worth R1,5 million from Siemens to study engineering in Germany. As part of the bursary, she would be offered full-time employment at Siemens South Africa.
Siemens CEO for southern and eastern Africa, Sabine Dall’Omo, said that skills development and investing in the youth was imperative to grow innovation on the continent.
“As a global company with a strong local presence, we are proud to contribute to the development of Africa’s next generation. Innovation and positive societal transformation is in our corporate DNA.”
Other special prizes were R1 500 from Eskom, awarded to Mhlongo Shepard from Sitintile Secondary in KaNyamazane, R7 000 to Nokwanda Mantshinshi from Mahhushe Agricultural and Devon Nell from Hoërskool Nelspruit and R5 000 for Thobela Miles from Suikerland High in Malalane.
Read more: Future scientists impress the judges
Devon and Muhammad Uzair Hira from Lowveld High School were also selected to attend the International Science Fairs to be held in Taiwan and USA in 2018.
In total, Ehlanzeni won a gold medal, eight silvers, nine bronze and received two highly recommended certificates. Devon won the gold.
Fiona, Mhlongo and Muhammad each won silver. Nokwanda and Thobela each took bronze home.
The provincial coordinator, Bailey Nkuna, took the opportunity to encourage all schools in the district to participate in science expo competitions to stimulate learners’ interest in research and providing solutions to critical problems affecting South Africa as well as the entire world.
