By Lebone Rodah Mosima
KwaZulu-Natal schools won 24 national trophies at the 2026 ABC Motsepe South African Schools Choral Eisteddfod (SASCE) National Championship, reinforcing the province’s reputation as one of the country’s strongest school choral performers.
The championship was held at Moreleta Kerk in Pretoria from 30 June to 3 July and brought together school choirs from across the country.
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The KZN Department of Education praised learners, educators, choir conductors, adjudicators, school management teams, district officials and parents who represented the province at the national event.
Organised by the departments of Basic Education and Sport, Arts and Culture, in partnership with the Motsepe Foundation, the championship “brought together South Africa’s finest school choirs in a celebration of musical excellence, unity in diversity, social cohesion and holistic learner development”.
“The competition provided learners with an opportunity to showcase their exceptional talent while promoting the values of discipline, teamwork and cultural appreciation,” the department said.
KZN had already emerged as the early frontrunner after day two, leading the national standings with 11 trophies before ending the championship with 24 national trophies.
The department said schools from across the province achieved first, second and third positions in several categories, with N.E. Ndlovu from Zama High School in the Amajuba District named Best Conductor.
KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Education Sipho Hlomuka attended the championship in Pretoria, where he supported the provincial choirs and congratulated learners on their performances.
The department extended special congratulations to Empangeni High School, which was crowned the 2026 SASCE National Champ of Champs for a second consecutive year.
It said the achievement reflected the school’s continued commitment to excellence in choral music.
The department also commended Zama High School for securing third position in the Champ of Champs category and for producing the Best Conductor at the national championship.
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Hlomuka applauded every learner who represented KwaZulu-Natal, saying the province’s performance reflected the dedication, discipline and passion of learners, educators, conductors and support teams.
“Your performances have made KwaZulu-Natal proud and have once again demonstrated the exceptional musical talent that exists within our province,” Hlomuka said.
“We celebrate every choir that qualified for the national stage and thank everyone who contributed to this remarkable success.”
The department said it appreciated the work of choir conductors, educators, district officials, school management teams, parents and support staff whose commitment and preparation enabled learners to compete at national level.
“The South African Schools Choral Eisteddfod remains one of the Department of Basic Education’s flagship programmes, providing learners with opportunities to develop confidence, leadership, discipline, teamwork and social cohesion through music while nurturing artistic excellence,” the department said.
