Mpumalanga wins National Roads Safety Debates and PET Competitions

Mpumalanga Province was named winners of the National Road Safety Debates and Participatory Educational Techniques (PET) for 2025 during a Prize Giving Function at Time Square in n Pretoria today, 10 October 2025. Both competitions started with the opening function on Tuesday.

The province was named winners in the rural category of the Road Safety Debates. They were also declared joint winners along with Limpopo Province in the urban category of the same competition. The place of the rising sun went on to claim top spots in both urban and rural categories of PET competition.

Each learner on all the categories received a medal, a trophy and a cheque amounting to R6600. The province also scooped the Best Speaker in Debate Urban Category. The best speaker is Sasha Nkabinde, a Grade 11 learner from Jerusalem Secondary School near in Hazyview.

All four trainers of the categories won Best Trainer awards. The trainers received medals and trophies.

The National Road Safety Debate and PET competitions are held annually targeting Grade 10 and 11 learners. They debate on road safety motions whilst the PET encourages participants to do research and identify road safety challenges in their communities. They then come up with proposals and present them to panels of adjudicators at all levels of the competition,

In this year’s competition, Mpumalanga competed with Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, Western Cape, Northern Cape, Free State and North West provinces.

Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC Interim Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Ms. Refilwe Mongale said that the competition targets over 1000 learners from different provinces in various schools. “This programme has a huge impact on learners as they research and acquire knowledge on road safety. Through this programme, the learners learn basic skills such as research and public speaking,” she said.

Meanwhile, Mpumalanga MEC for Community Safety, Security and Liaison. Mr. Jackie Macie congratulated all winners in various categories. Macie hailed efforts by both the learners, trainers, and officials for once again lifting the bar and becoming champions.

He said these competitions are not only about winning, but about sustaining calls for action on road safety to prevent needless loss of lives from road crashes in this country.

“We want all the participants, past and present, to become active road safety ambassadors in their communities and everywhere they go. Every crash statistic represents a life lost. Therefore, the learners must help us spread the message,” he said.

The winners of the Mpumalanga Province per category are as follows;

Debate Urban Category

-Sasha Nkabinde

-Owami Mngewu

– Lonene Makhubela

The trainer: Ms. Nothando Chirwa.

Debate Rural Category

-Emmanuel Nkambule

-Kamogelo Mbonani

-Siyamthanda Khumalo

The trainer: Mr. John Nkosi

PET Rural Category

-Skhila Secondary School.

The learners are;

1. Zandile Sifundza

2. Karen Nkosi

3. Oratile Masinga

4. Majuta Mankhana

5. Bright Masarwa

The trainer is, Mr. Nhlakanipho Makhanya

PET Urban Category

– Sikhwahlane Secondary School.

The learners are;

1.Nokukhanya Magagula

2. Mncobi Vilane

3. Unathi Mubi

4. Silondiwe Shabangu

5. Ayandiswa Magagula

The trainer is, Mr. Nhlanhla Maziya

Both PET schools have won R100 000 each for their schools to assist with addressing road safety challenges identified.