TOP SA SPELLING TEAM TO UGANDA CHAMPIONSHIP

October 2019

Tshegofatso Mojanaga received a warm send-off from her fellow school mates, as she gets ready to represent South Africa at this year’s African Spelling Bee, later this week in Uganda.

Tshegofatso is a Grade 5 learner, from Beacon Primary School, in Kimberley. She will be setting off to Kampala in a few days’ time, as part of Team SA, having won the Northern Cape finals earlier this year. The team comprises of six of our country’s brightest spellers, who will compete with other African nations, in Kampala, Uganda.

“We are very proud of Tshegofatso, who came out tops amongst learners from twenty-four schools across the Northern Cape Province in June. She is dedicated and will no doubt fly our flag high,” said Hlengiwe Radebe, Economic Development Director for Droogfontein Solar Power and De Aar Solar Power, funders of the regional Spelling Bees.

The African Spelling Bee, founded in 2016 by ‘Spell It South Africa’ and nine other African Spelling Bee organisations, is hosting its 4th Championship in Uganda, this coming Sunday, 20th October 2019. Spellers from twenty African countries will compete for senior, junior and team prizes.

“The African Spelling Bee is a celebration of the African Child, inspiring them to be literate and creating a platform to build confidence. We are truly proud to play a small part in this and to see a Northern Cape learner joining Team SA and heading to Kampala this week,” added Radebe.

The event will also be promoting two books as part of the competition: ‘Miss Uhuru 1963‘ by Elizabeth Mumbi Madoka for the Junior category and ‘Americanah‘ by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, one of Africa’s most celebrated contemporary authors.

The 2019 African Spelling Bee will see top spellers from 20 African nations including amongst others: Benin, Botswana, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leon, and South Africa. The grand prize for the Championship is a full undergraduate Scholarship, to Monash South Africa, estimated at around $20,000. Other exciting prizes will also be awarded to the outstanding spellers. To find out more and to download the schedule, visit https://africanspellingbee.com/.