Update
MOSSEL BAY NEWS - Two Point High School girls have come third in a national competition held by the Department of Water and Sanitation.
The department's Western Cape provincial head, Ntombizanele Bila-Mupariwa has congratulated Grade 11 learners Juelles Eloff and Tanith Smith.
The South African Youth Water Prize competition was held in Boksburg, Johannesburg.
The Point learners, under the mentorship of their teacher, Charmaine Spies, won the Western Cape competition, held in Bellville, Cape Town.
All winners in the provinces went on to compete in the national arm, in which this Juelles and Tanith came third behind Northern Cape and Gauteng.
During her conversation with the winners on their arrival back in the Western Cape, Bila-Mupariwa encouraged them to carry on with their project as it was viable and had potential.
“The department will support you wherever we can." She said their project had potential to create employment and contribute to economic growth while saving water. That is a winning combination,” Bila-Mupariwa said.
The pair won bronze in the awareness category, in which they raised awareness about the negative impact of the black wattle in the water system.
In their project they undertook to remove the tree wherever it is found but instead of throwing it away, they would use it to create employment.
“Government or the private sector can use unskilled labour to cut down this invasive tree and remove its bark then sell it per kilogram to a manufacturing company who then could process the material to make products,” said Juelles.
Bila-Mupariwa also encouraged more schools to take part in the competition. She stressed the need to start preparations today.
The winner of the national competition will represent the country at an international stage in Stockholm, Sweden, where they will compete with their counterparts from different countries.
The pair from Point High were guaranteed a bursary from the Department for tertiary education in any field of their choice.
South Africa last won in the global competition in 2007.
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