High school learners bring solution to remedy SA’s energy crisis

The City of Johannesburg’s energy utility, City Power used the country’s current energy crisis to encourage the Energy Efficiency Schools Competition.

The aim is to galvanise pupils to actively engage in the dynamic world of energy efficiency and renewable resources. The Competition’s awards ceremony was held at the City Power offices on Sunday.

Those who emerged victorious do believe their ideas will form part of the solution to help remedy the country’s energy crisis.

The venue was packed to capacity as pupils, teachers and officials from City Power attended the event to potentially help find a solution for the long-lasting energy crisis.

The power utility put to task their competitors to come up with innovative ways to solve the country’s crisis.

City Power’s Chief Executive Officer, Tshifularo Mashava, says it is unfortunate that South Africa and the world at large are faced with an energy crisis.

“If you look at the fact that energy security and affordability are a challenge, so, we asked the participants to come up with brilliant and innovative ways of how we can solve these energy problems so there can be progress for tomorrow. Indeed, they came up with groundbreaking ideas and brilliant interventions.”

Those who won believe their ideas on tackling the energy crisis would be ideal. First prize winner, Hlomani Mazibuko expressed confidence in changing the energy game.

“So, our project was about a panel solar tracking system. So we designed it in a way that the radiant energy, so, where the sun goes, the solar panel follows it there.”

Proud teacher, Jabulani Ntuli, who helped shape the young brilliant ground breakers, is thrilled and over the moon with the pupils’ achievements.

“My learners were motivated on their own; however, I had to be there and give them a push to remind them of the importance of this project, especially when they just wanted to go and chill with their peers. I had to motivate them about the importance of what they were doing and the prize money, and fortunately, it kept them going.”