EC four good to moot internationally

Pupils to jet off to schools moot event

FOUR pupils from two Eastern Cape schools will jet off to the Netherlands next year, where they will represent the country at the International Schools Moot competition.

Two Grade 11 pupils at Holy Cross High School in Mthatha – Sibulele Mbambi and Athenkosi Mthiya – as well as Qhayiya Mayinje and Kian Terwin of Beaconhurst High in East London were chosen for the South African team after being crowned winners of the national competition.

The two schools beat 36 others to walk away with the honours at the national leg of the competition at the weekend.

Mthiya was also named the best oralist in the entire competition this year.

The South African Moot Court competition is an annual event which is aimed at creating greater consciousness and understanding in South African schools and communities about the constitution of the country and the values that are embodied through active participation by pupils in a moot court competition.

Eastern Cape heritage coordinator Ntombiyayo Jwaai said schools were invited to write and submit two essays: one for the applicant and another for the respondent.

The pupils with the best essays were then invited to represent their schools at the provincial leg of the competition.

Jwaai said the provincial rounds were organised by the provincial department of education and the department of justice. The judges from the provincial rounds then selected the best four teams from each province to advance to the national rounds.

Eastern Cape schools that made it to nationals included Queenstown Girls High in Komani, Grens High School in East London and V M Kwinana in Uitenhage, as well as Holy Cross and Beaconhurst.

Jwaai said they were assisted by universities in the Eastern Cape through workshops where pupils were taught how to write using legal language they submitted them.

“More than 400 pupils attended workshops on how to write essays at Rhodes University earlier this year. The essays were then assessed at the University of Pretoria. Out of all the schools, a total of 12 schools were selected to participate in the provincial leg of the competition,” she said.

The winning pupils will not only compete at international level next year, but also receive financial assistance towards their first year of studies at any law school of their essays before choice in the country.

Beaconhurst High teacher and moot coach Reyno Simms said the school was thrilled to have won first place as they came second last year.

The coach, who is also studying law, said he picked 10 pupils each year, gave them a topic to argue and the most promising and strongest pupil would represent the school at the provincial competition.

“The pupils have not only represented the school but the entire province as well. We are extremely thrilled to be sending them off to the international leg next year,” he said.