Durbanville pupils win gold in debating competition

Durbanville High School pupils won a gold trophy at the Afrikaans debating competition hosted by AfriForum at DF Malan High School in Bellville last Friday.

Tiaan Bierman, Islah Vorster and Melandi Nabal won in the senior category of the Dink of Sink (Think or Sink) debate competition.

The aim of the competition was to promote Afrikaans debating at primary, high school and university levels, while also teaching essential skills.

A total of 195 pupils from five high schools in the Western Cape took part in the competition. 

The participants came from schools in Cape Town as well as Paarl, Stellenbosch, Malmesbury and other areas.

During the day, the 65 teams each conducted three debates on various topics.

Bloemhof Girls' High School's Mieke Jonker, Gabbi Spammer and Delinda Quinot were crowned runners-up in the senior category that spanned from Grade 10 to 12. 

In the junior category (Grades 8 and 9), Paul Roos Gymnasium's Retief Ferreira, Lian Winckler and Paul du Plessis were crowned champions, while Paarl Girls' High School's Emma Kriek, Margelie Hansen and Kara Wentzel were announced as the runners-up.

"The learners tackled their tasks with great skill and they impressed with well-structured, thoroughly prepared arguments and powerful counter-arguments. They exuded confidence through convincing body language, clear use of voice and a genuine enthusiasm for their points of view," said Nicolene Müller, AfriForum's coordinator for Education in the southern region.

This was AfriForum’s third provincial elimination round of the debate competition in the Western Cape and the elimination rounds for Gauteng and Eastern Cape have already taken place. Elimination rounds are still yet to take place in Limpopo, Mpumalanga and the Free State. 

The national finals will take place on Saturday September 27 at the Akademia-Leriba campus in Centurion where the winners of all the provinces will compete against each other.