POLOKWANE – Tshegofatso Mabutla (17) says she never thought that public speaking and drama could take her all the way to Cape Town.
Tshegofatso is a gr. 12 Tom Naudé Technical High School learner, and her teacher, Annette Meiring, noticed she good at public speaking and showed acting talent.
Meiring convinced Tshegofatso to take part in a drama competition, which took place in Mokopane in March.
“My teacher took me and two other learners to Mokopane. I went through to the semi-finals, but the other two did not,” says Tshegofatso.
The piece that earned Tshegofatso a place in the semi-finals was called Butterfly, and she says she wrote it herself. It is about a friend who gets raped.
Sponsored by KykNet, the next round of the competition will take place at Bellville High School in Cape Town from today (Tuesday) until Friday.
Tshegofatso says she will be accompanied by Meiring to Cape Town and the trip costs about R10 000 for airplane tickets, hotel, car hire and food.
“We tried to find sponsors, but it was not easy,” she says.
Meiring has paid for the entire trip from her own pocket. “I felt if it was my child who was this talented, I would want everyone to help her achieve her best,” says Meiring.
During the competition, Tshegofatso will have to take part in three items.
“First I will have to do a short drama piece, then a poem or prose and then a short radio voice over.”
She will also have the opportunity to do a radio interview on RSG and visit the set of the popular Afrikaans soap opera, Binnelanders.
Meiring says she is very proud of Tshegofatso. “She is very talented and brilliant. I wish her the best of luck,” she says.
Tshegofatso says she plans to study architecture or interior architecture at Wits or the University of Johannesburg next year.
