Landslide victory for Radebe

POLITICS is not everyone’s cup of tea; in some instances it is perceived as a dreary subject, while on the other end of the spectrum the powerful topic has given rise to wars, fuelled revolutions and divided families.

However, 18-year-old Mfundo Radebe, who was recently crowned the global winner of the Magna Carta International Essay competition, hopes to facilitate positive changes in South Africa’s current political institution. Radebe, who hails from Umlazi, said he was bitten by the politics bug at a very young age.

“I quickly realised that there were shortcomings in our democracy, especially since my life is so juxtaposed. I live a privileged life and an underprivileged life. At the height of the HIV pandemic, I wondered how and why politicians could deny the crisis. I was inevitably drawn to politics,” he said.

The bright-eyed Crawford College La Lucia pupil topped his fellow African competitors in August when he demonstrated his firm grasp of the dynamics associated with politics, constitutions and democracy through his essay, ‘Limiting the Powers of Government’.

Then, earlier this month, the African champion went on to beat seven competing nations, including the United States, Asia and the United Kingdom. Radebe travelled to London, where he had to present and defend his Magna Carta to the chairs of the International English Speaking Unit as well as lecturers from the University of London.

Radebe said he did not expect to win and was stunned when they announced his name. “I just stood still for a moment, and it did not fully register. My grandfather, Thokozani Radebe, started to cry. It was an extremely happy and emotional moment. I think what impressed the judges was the fact that I provided solutions to issues that I had identified instead of simply listing them,” he said.

When asked what his plans were for the future, Radebe said his focus at the moment was on completing his exams, but he hoped to study politics or law next year.

“Hopefully I can try and make a difference in the political sphere,” he said. 

• The Magna Carta is an 800-year-old charter document signed by King John of England. Over the decades, it has influenced many constitutions, including the United State’s Declaration of Independence as well as the South African democratic system, explained Radebe.  In celebration of its anniversary on 15 June, youth from around the world were tasked with the challenge of creating a brand new, 21st-century Magna Carta for their home country, a document based on the original that would protect and promote the rights of their fellow countrymen.