Six schools from the township, including Ilinge, Thuto Lesedi, Vosloorus Comprehensive, Erasmus Monareng, Lethulwazi and Masithwalisane Secondary Schools, took part in this year’s competition.
There were three categories, namely drama, poetry and public speaking.
Vosloorus SAPS commander Brig Themba Denge said he was very pleased with the performance of the schools.
“Each year the schools give us more than what they gave the previous year,” he said.
He said these competitions are held to make the community of Vosloorus aware of the dangers of substance abuse.
“Drugs lead to crime. Once you commit crime, you end up in jail. Once you are sentenced your fingerprints will be taken and put into our system and it will affect you for the rest of your life if you want to find employment. There is no way an employer will hire a criminal,” Denge warned learners.
Denge added: “In the past financial year, Vosloorus SAPS arrested more than 700 people who were dealing in drugs.
“But we are not winning the fight against drugs because you as the community members are not helping the police by reporting it,” said Denge.
He pleaded with the community to report drug-related crimes to the Social Crime Prevention Unit members Capt Obed Phala and Sgt Sibongile Mambana.
Vosloorus SAPS communications and media official Capt Piet Rossouw said this year’s competition was different.
“There are 12 police stations in Ekurhuleni West Cluster. Almost all of them are running similar competitions. The winner from Vosloorus, Masithwalisane Secondary School, will compete against the number ones from the other police stations in the schools cluster final. The dates and the venue of the final are still unknown, but it will possibly take place at Carnival City,” said Rossouw.
Announcing the results, one of the judges, Sinazo Mqushwana, explained the criteria they used to choose the winning school.
“We chose the school that delivered the message that covered all the aspects that affect the community, whether in society, at school or in the workplace. And the school must not exceed the number of actors and time given,” said Mqushwana.
The winners were Maabale Moropa from Masithwalisane Secondary School, who took home the best public speaker prize, and Naledi Pateli from Thuto Lesedi Secondary School, who won for best poetry and best actor. She went away with a trophy for each category.
Erasmus Monareng Secondary School took second place and went away with the runner-up trophy.
Masithwalisane Secondary School was the best school on the day. They got position one and took home the first-prize trophy as well as the floating trophy. They will keep the first-prize trophy and return the floating trophy to the sponsors. The same trophy will be given to the winners of next year’s competition.
