The finals of AQUALIBRIUM, the exciting SAICE-WRC Schools Water Schools Competition 2013 was held at the Sci-Bono Discovery Centre in Newtown, Johannesburg on Friday 16 August 2013. This worthwhile competition never fails to excite the teams, spectators and everybody involved.

The launch of the new streamlined equipment, developed by Professor Kobus van Zyl of the University of Cape Town and ‘creator’ of the water distribution network concept for the competition, saw the curbing of water losses, as experienced by many municipalities in real life, during this competition.

The 2013 champions with 60 penalty points conceded were the team from the Eqinisweni Secondary School from Ivory Park, Midrand with team members Thulani Ndlovu, Rudzani Mnisi and Tyson Chuma. In second place was Diamantveld Hoërskool from Kimberley with 80 penalty points. The team consisted of Pieter van Zyl, Jannes Wessels and Philip Swanepoel. Hoërskool DF Malan from Cape Town shared the third prize with Mfesane Senior Secondary School in Port Elizabeth (Nelson Mandela Bay) with 90 penalty points each. The Hoërskool DF Malan team was Jacobus I Wüst, Reinhardt Husselmann and Jacobus M Louw with Mfesane Senior Secondary School’s team Siyabonga Gaba, Nolusindiso Mdodana and Thabo Petse. The three winning teams shared the prize-money of just more than R17 000.

This year the winners of the regional competitions come to Johannesburg from as far as Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Buffalo City (East London), Pietermaritzburg, Richards Bay, Nelson Mandela Bay (Port Elizabeth), Kimberley and Mahikeng, to battle the local winners for top honours. Many of the teams were flown to Johannesburg and accommodated in a good hotel – an experience that these young people and some of the educators will never forget! For most, this is a first experience of flying and visiting the ‘big city’.

“Without the major sponsorship of the Water Research Commission (WRC), Marley Pipe Systems, SMEC/VelaVKE, the Water Institute of Southern Africa, Prentec and Bigen Africa this event would of course, not be possible.

“As a direct result of this competition there are presently three students studying civil engineering. These young people from disadvantaged backgrounds are determined to go MAD, i.e. Make A Difference in their communities.  We just have to continue with these kinds of projects in order to make a difference to the scarce skills situation and the lives of many people,” says SAICE Outreach Officer, Marie Ashpole.