PUPILS from Southlands Secondary School’s coding team have made their province proud by winning the national Coding4Mandela Tournament, earning them the honour of representing South Africa in the online global Coding4Mandela Tournament in December.
Representing KwaZulu-Natal in the senior category, the all-girls team showcased exceptional talent, outperforming competitors from across the country.
The team - comprising Waarisah Ismail, Rayha Naidoo, Isabelle Balram, Amaarah Ahmed and Valencia Mdletshe - demonstrated problem-solving skills and creativity throughout the competition.
Praveena Chetty, the school's principal, said the victory not only marked a significant achievement for Southlands Secondary, but highlighted the growing presence of young girls in the field of coding and technology, which was one of the main focuses of the Coding4Mandela Tournament.
“The global Coding4Mandela Tournament will give the team a chance to participate with other pupils from various countries. Our all-girl team is eager to take on this next challenge. This achievement not only reflects the hard work and dedication of these young women but also implies that the future of technology is in good hands. We are incredibly impressed by their success and look forward to seeing these young women represent our school and country on the global stage,” said Chetty.
She said the pupils were preparing for the challenge and they hoped to inspire more young women to pursue careers in technology.
“The entire Southlands community is rallying behind them and we are confident they will continue to make the school proud,” said Chetty.