DWS urges South Africans to back young innovator Sinenhlanhla Nkosi in Sweden

National water prize winner Sinenhlanhla Sikhulile Nkosi (17) will represent South Africa at the Stockholm Junior Water Prize in Sweden later this month.

The Grade 11 learner from Sitintile Secondary School made history as the first learner from the province to win the national competition. His achievement has earned him the opportunity to compete against young scientists from more than 30 countries.

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Project targets plastic pollution

Nkosi won the competition with his project, ‘The Sentinel Barrier’, which uses a special silicone-based coating inside PET plastic bottles to reduce the release of microplastics and harmful chemicals into drinking water. The project offers a practical solution to improving water quality while addressing the growing challenge of plastic pollution.

The South African Youth Water Prize is an annual Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) initiative that encourages learners in grades nine to 11 to develop science-based solutions to water-related challenges affecting their communities. The programme aims to inspire future scientists, engineers and environmental leaders.

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Public voting now open

Nkosi is also competing for the Stockholm Junior Water Prize People’s Choice Award, and the department has urged South Africans to vote for his project, titled ‘Barrier coatings’ for reducing microplastic release and chemical leaching in plastic containers’.

Members of the public can cast their votes on the official Stockholm Junior Water Prize website. Voting closes on August 15.