LEARNERS EXERCISE THEIR RIGHTS THROUGH SPORTS AND DEBATE

By Moipone Matsapola

• Human Rights Day, 21 March 2026, saw 300 Gauteng learners take part in a Ke Moja sports and debate event in Soweto.
• The learners from several primary and secondary schools took part in a range of sporting activities, including basketball, netball, and soccer.
• ⁠The secondary school learners took part in a hotly contested debate on the issue of whether parents have the right to take their children to rehab without their consent.

Over a rainy weekend on Human Rights Day, 300 primary and high school learners gathered at Diepkloof Sports Grounds in Soweto to participate in sports and debate activities under the Ke Moja national programme.

“Ke Moja, I’m fine without drugs” is a substance abuse prevention programme that targets school-going children and youth, promoting drug-free lifestyles while educating them on the dangers of substance abuse.

Learners took part in sporting activities including basketball, netball, and soccer, and despite the downpour, none of the learners left the field.

Shelter, music, drama, debates, and poetry ensured that the programme continued seamlessly. The learners displayed remarkable excitement, resilience, and patience throughout the day.

Learners from ED Mashabane, Leondale, Mphethi Mahlatse, and Beverly Hills secondary schools commemorated Human Rights Day through a thought-provoking debate on the topic “Do parents have the right to take their children to rehab without their consent?”, with Beverly Hills and Mphethi Mahlatse facing off in the debate finals.

Human Rights Day, held annually on 21 March, commemorates the sacrifices made in the struggle for democracy in South Africa

During the awards ceremony, trophies were presented for best speaker, best opposer, and best researcher. The winning teams in netball, soccer, and basketball also received trophies.

The acting Director of Substance Abuse Prevention, Treatment and Rehabilitation at the Gauteng Department of Social Development, Khumo Kgomoeswana, energised the crowd by sharing plans to expand the debate platforms and increase the number of anti-substance abuse ambassadors in schools.

Gauteng Department of Education chief education specialist, Brendon Smith, encouraged learners to participate actively in decision-making, noting: “Young people should not fold their hands and complain that adults take decisions on their behalf. Join hands with us and let’s decide together.”