The Ahmed Kathrada Foundation celebrates national essay writing competition winners
The annual Ahmed Kathrada Foundation National Essay Writing Competition Against Racism provides a national platform for youth to critically engage with social justice.
The Ahmed Kathrada Foundation hosted the National Essay Writing Competition Against Racism 2024 Awards Ceremony on May 2 at the Nelson Mandela Foundation.
Read more: Calling Grade 5s: Enter the Mothers Day essay competition
The annual competition provides a national platform for youth, between the ages of 13 and 21, to critically engage with themes of racism, apartheid, social justice, and non-racialism through original essays, poetry, and artwork. The event also marked the official launch of the 2025 competition.
The ceremony recognised the outstanding entries on topics such as:
• My Anti-Racism Manifesto,
• The Influence of Pop Culture on Racism, and
• The Impact of Apartheid on a Born-Free Generation.
Katleho Seele, who placed first in the essay category, titled her essay: The Impact of Apartheid on a Born-Free Generation. Katleho not only spoke about how bantu education was a discriminatory educational policy for our mothers and grandparents, but spoke about how apartheid remnants were still alive in township schools.
She detailed how some township schools continued to be under-resourced, which affected learners’ academic progress and performances.
Also read: The Johannesburg Holocaust and Genocide Centre hosted Human Rights essay competition winners
Thato Ramphele, who placed second in the essay category, titled her essay: My Anti-Racism Manifesto. Thato detailed how apartheid affected South Africa in many ways, and explained how some of the discriminatory systems subtly lingered 30 years later.
She noted that, writing the essay would not be the end of her activism against discrimination, and that she would participate in activities that fostered unity in her community.
The foundation also has a youth activism programme, which is dedicated to carrying on the legacy of the anti-apartheid stalwart and freedom fighter, Ahmed Mohamed Kathrada.
The programme is aimed at developing the skills and learning capacity of youth in communities across South Africa, through organising youth activist clubs at a grassroots level.
Members of these clubs will be taught and trained on how to be an effective community organiser or activist, and will be supported by the foundation through an education and training programme.
Follow us on our Whatsapp channel, Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok for the latest updates and inspiration! Have a story idea? We’d love to hear from you – join our WhatsApp group and share your thoughts!
Related article: Parktown Girl wins essay competition
