Winners Announced for the WCG-Nedbank Essay Writing Competition
The Provincial Treasury, in collaboration with its esteemed partners, Western Cape Education and Nedbank, proudly announces the winners of the 16th annual WCG-Nedbank Essay Writing Competition. The awards ceremony was recently held at the picturesque V&A Waterfront and celebrated the outstanding achievements of young scholars and underscored the power of public-private partnerships in empowering our youth.
The WCG-Nedbank Essay Writing Competition, a flagship initiative fostering collaboration between the public and private sectors, has been lauded for its 16-year milestone. This year, the competition awarded 12 prestigious bursaries to top-performing finalists, recognizing their exceptional analytical skills and critical thinking abilities. Participants were tasked to provide a comprehensive examination of the economic implications of a green economy in South Africa, including its effects on resources, current initiatives, and recommendations for leveraging the green economy to address unemployment and foster economic growth and development.
More than just a platform for awarding bursaries, the competition aims to inspire and attract prospective individuals to fields such as Finance, Economics, Accounting, and related disciplines, addressing critical skills shortages in the country. In her opening address, Ms. Shirley Robinson commended the comittment and detailed research as exhibited by the participants.
The 2024 competition saw Michelle Arendse from Bloemhof Girls' High School emerge as the top performer followed by Layla Brink from Paarl Gymnasium and Lesedi Moloto from Protea Heights High School in third place. Ms. Arendse reflected on the valuable lesson gained from the experience, highlighting the important role South Africa can play in a green economy. In addition to the esteemed bursaries, all winners and finalists received cash prizes, with the winner receiving R10,000, the second-place winner receiving R7,500, and the third-place winner receiving R5,000. The remaining bursary winners and finalists were awarded R3,000 each.
List of bursary winners:
|
Ahlumile Kilani |
Imizamo Yethu Secondary School |
|
Angela Hendricks |
South Peninsula High School |
|
Emmie Wannenburg |
Hoerskool Outeniqua |
|
Hannah Malan |
Paarl Girls High School |
|
Janke Marais |
Bloemhof Girls High |
|
Keenan Kircher |
Hugenot High School |
|
Kishen Ramkelwan |
Parklands College |
|
Layla Brink |
Paarl Gymnasium |
|
Lesedi Moloto |
Protea Heights Academy |
|
Michelle Arendse |
Bloemhof Girls High |
|
Reese Watson |
Punt High School |
|
Taariq Abrahams |
Protea Heights Academy |
Mireille Wenger, Minister of Finance and Economic Opportunities, and Julinda Gantana, Head Official of Provincial Treasury, extended their heartfelt gratitude to all involved in orchestrating a remarkable ceremony that celebrated the future leaders and change-makers of the Western Cape Province and beyond.
The event underscored the unwavering commitment of competition partners to support educational initiatives for young people, providing them with opportunities to question, challenge, and succeed in their pursuits. As we look ahead, we eagerly anticipate the successes of the bursary recipients in their current and future endeavors.
For more information on the competition, please visit our website at https://www.westerncape.gov.za/provincial-treasury/bursaries-ca-academy/essay-writing-competition.
Further Enquiries:
Ezra Josephs
Tel: 021 483 4823