Help SA Debating take on the world!

The SASDB is a registered non profit tasked with facilitating World Schools style debate nationally. Over the years we have grown to field one of the best national debating teams in the world, ranking in the top 5 countries world wide over the past 3 years. This accomplishment is all the more notable considering that the team has no consistent financial support and thus the burden to attend the World Schools Debating Championship (WSDC) falls largely onto the families of participants. This year TEAM SA will be attending WSDC 2018 in Zagreb, Croatia 17-27 July 2018 and the 50 day countdown has already begun.

The SASDB is committed to overcoming financial barriers to entry into debating and supporting all members of our national team. We believe firmly that the team has earned the right to represent SA Debating on an international platform and we therefore would like to appeal to you to support these extraordinary young individuals on their journey. Even the smallest amount helps, it all adds up!

Debating is not simply an extracurricular but a life changing activity. We believe our team exemplifies the critical thinking and communication skills that debating develops. The team is filled with individuals of not only exceptional talent but also of exceptional character.


Neo Tsotetsi
Neo is currently in her final year of high school. She is a top scholar and has achieved four sets of academic colours. She represented the SA Junior team at the Asian World Schools Debating Championship (AWSDC) in 2016 and has won a division of the South African Schools Debating Championships (SANSDC) every year that she has competed in it (2015-2018)


Joshua Jankelow
Josh is in Grade 11 and has been the top scholar in his grade for the past two years. He has also won the Anne Taylor award and Shirley Bloch award for best senior poetry recital in Johannesburg. Josh was selected onto the Gauteng Provincial team in 2017 and rapidly rose through the ranks to join Team SA


Ritvik Sojen
Ritvik is in his final year of high school. He is a top 10 student and has received full academic colours. He also has a Grade 6 musical qualification from Associated Board of the Royal School of Music. Ritvik's school team has won regional and provincial championships and Ritvik's provincial team were finalists at SANSDC 2017.


Gabriel Brouard-Ancer
Gabriel is in Grade 11 and has been debating for his province since 2016. As a junior speaker at SANSDC 2016 he was a championship finalist ranking second overall. At SANSDC 2017 he made the plate finals and ranked as the top Grade 10 speaker in the country.


Sthembiso Robert Mathenjwa
The youngest member of the team, Sthembiso is in Grade 10. He has been blazing a trail for himself since 2017, when he was selected onto the SA Junior team that represented South Africa at AWSDC 2017. His team also recently won the Nelson Mandela Debate Challenge 2018, a national debating competition by the Nelson Mandela Foundation and Tshimong


Jemma Jenkins-Ferrett (reserve)
Jemma is currently in Grade 11 and represented the South African squad at AWSDC 2017. She was selected for the Gauteng senior squad whilst still a junior and was part of the team that won the SANSDC 2017 Grand final, ranking 7th individually.

Team South Africa is excited to be taking on the world and representing the country on an international stage. Please support this team of remarkable individuals achieve their dreams.


Funds donated to this campaign will go towards assisting team SA with preparation, transport and registration costs for WSDC and towards the SA squad's preparation, transport and registration costs for Prague Spring 2018. Should we raise more than our original target we will devote the funds to a new initiative by Team SA to use debating to aid with literacy, communication and learning at a basic education level.

Irene Mpofu (Deputy Head of the SASDB) will be managing receipt of the donations and transferring them through to the SASDB non-profit account.