Young Voices Take a Stand Against Racism at 2025 Essay Writing Competition Awards

The Ahmed Kathrada Foundation hosted the Awards Ceremony for the 2025 National Essay Writing Competition Against Racism, celebrating young people who used their creativity and critical thinking to challenge racism and imagine a more inclusive South Africa.

The competition invited youth across the country to submit essays, poetry, and artwork addressing the realities of racism and how young people can help confront it. The initiative forms part of the Foundation’s ongoing work to deepen non-racialism and encourage active citizenship among young South Africans.

During the virtual ceremony, the top participants in each category shared their work and reflected on the ideas behind their submissions. Their contributions demonstrated both the depth of thought and the courage of young people willing to speak out against injustice.

Essay category winner, Tiro Mputle, read her winning essay, offering a powerful reflection on racism and the role young people can play in challenging it.

“Our Constitution promises freedom. But what use is unshackled flesh if the mind is still imprisoned? Laws evolve, explicit oppression is outlawed, yet many are still bound by the mindset: racism. We compare our present lack with the years’ hardships, sometimes echoing those who, in ancient times, sighed, ‘It was better in Egypt.’ Is this what salvation looks likenot a journey forward, but a longing for old certainties? True freedom is not only emancipation from chains, but deliverance from nostalgia for past bondage. ‘To be free is not to be saved’- that dichotomy haunts every negotiation of identity in South Africa. To still yearn for a bygone era is to confess: the wounds endure.”- Tiro Mputle

In the poetry category, Siyamethemba Zuma recited her poem, capturing the emotional and human impact of discrimination while expressing hope for a more united society.

“Racism in 2025 looks like a highly educated, over-qualified, well-spoken Black woman losing a presidential election to a white man with 34 felonies and a known history of bankrupting casinos. That is what racism looks like in 2025.”- Siyamethemba Zuma

In the visual arts category, Johnathan-Aaron Oktober presented his artwork and explained the message he sought to convey through his creative expression.

“The image captures the moment of revealing her true self, showing the struggle and exhaustion of constantly having to perform as a person of colour so that you are palatable to other races- the chore of performing so that you are not considered too ‘ghetto’ or ‘ratchet’.”- Johnathan-Aaron Oktober

Professor Mary Metcalfe also addressed the audience, praising the high calibre of submissions and highlighting the importance of creating platforms where young people can engage with issues of justice, equality, and social responsibility.

The National Essay Writing Competition Against Racism aims to encourage critical thinking, creativity, and dialogue among young people about the ongoing challenges of racism and inequality.

By giving young people the opportunity to express their ideas and perspectives, the competition continues to nurture a new generation committed to building a non-racial and inclusive South Africa.

The Ahmed Kathrada Foundation congratulates all participants and extends its appreciation to the teachers, parents, and community stakeholders who continue to nurture the talent, courage, and critical thinking of these young voices.

As the Foundation continues its work during Anti-Racism Week, supporters are also encouraged to look out for the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation’s Racial Justice Calendar 2026, a powerful resource highlighting key moments in South Africa’s ongoing struggle for racial justice.

Watch the full event on our YouTube channel HERE