Young South African learners will compete in the inaugural spelling bee World Cup for the first time on a global level from 14 to 19 July in Shangai, China.
Each learner earned their place through months of competition, determination as well as academic excellence.
The selected learners are Mbulelo Tolom, Ashton Singh, Xilombe Xivuri,George van Wyngaard, Rhyle Adams and Ifeoma Osondo. These learners qualified by participating in the South African National Spelling Bee and helping Team South Africa win the continental championships in Zimbabwe.
Coordinated by A Better Africa Foundation in partnership with the Department of Basic Education, the South African Spelling Bee has grown into one of the country’s leading literacy initiatives. Each year it reaches thousands of schools and learners. They encourage reading, vocabulary development, and academic confidence while identifying and nurturing exceptional young talent.
The CEO of Better Africa Foundation and Co-founder of the African Spelling Bee said the spelling bee is about more than just memorising words.
“It develops confidence, reading ability, critical thinking, public speaking and a love of language. These learners are not only representing South Africa. They are demonstrating the power of education to transform lives,” he said.
In a statement, the North West department of education expressed how proud they are of the selected team.
“The Department is especially proud of Mbulelo Tolom, a 12-year-old Grade 7 learner from Klerksdorp Primary School in the Dr Kenneth Kaunda District, who has earned a place in the national team. Mbulelo is one of six outstanding learners who will proudly represent South Africa on the global stage, showcasing their exceptional spelling abilities and academic excellence.”
“Last year, Mbulelo Tolom won the 2025 South African National Spelling Bee Finals held in Sun City. By winning the national title, he earned the opportunity to represent South Africa at the African Junior Championship Spelling Competition, which was held in Zimbabwe. Team South Africa won the first position, followed by Nigeria in second and Zimbabwe in third,” the department said.
The participants in the competition won the spelling competition from School, Cluster, Local Education Area, District and National level. The Spelling Bee Competition promotes literacy, reading, language skills, and academic excellence among learners.
The MEC for Education in the North West, Viola Motsumi said,
“This is their moment to demonstrate to the world that South Africa is home to some of the finest young spellers. Their achievement is also a testament to the dedication and hard work of our teachers, who continue to provide quality education and nurture excellence in our schools. We are proud of you and wish you every success. Go and make South Africa proud,” said Motsumi.
