Curro Klerksdorp Grade 12 learner Aqil Variava wins Eskom Senior Grand Prize
During the Eskom Expo International Science Fair, which was held from October 3 to 5, the Eskom Senior Grand Prize was awarded to a Curro Klerksdorp Grade 12 learner Aqil Variava, who developed the “pollution index” – a tool to investigate water quality.
He won a R75 000 cash prize.
The event hosts Africa’s largest science showcase and competition for Grade 5 to Grade 12 learners, to support skills development and capacity building in science through bursaries and further research opportunities.
Eskom wants to aid in the development of scientists, technicians and engineers, the State-owned entity said in a statement on Friday.
More than 600 participants from 35 regions in South Africa competed in the science fair, alongside participants from Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Mozambique, Kenya, Tanzania, Ghana and Nigeria.
The young science boffins competed for highly acclaimed prizes worth more than R14-million in total, which include bursaries, laptops, gadgets, mobile science kits and trips to other international science fairs.
Meanwhile, at the event, Siemens awarded a high school learner with an apprenticeship opportunity worth more than R1-million to study mechatronics and electronics in Berlin for three-and-a-half years.
This apprenticeship affords the student, Brad Spies, the opportunity to work on some of the most advanced digital technologies available in the engineering field.
The company also awarded two students full local bursaries to study mechatronics in South Africa.
“Siemens has a longstanding partnership with the Eskom Expo for Young Scientists. Our collaboration is focused on the commitment to investing in and developing the skills of our future engineers, for the long term.
“For us, it is about creating a lasting legacy in Africa,” said Siemens Southern and Eastern Africa CEO Sabine Dall’Omo.