2024 EMYC  winners from left: Bernice van Eeden, Kegomoditswe Mancwe and Thokozile Shakira Ndlovu, High School Kathu; Grentham Pier, Wrenchville High School; Lesego Tsatsinyane and Luvuyo Hlanjwa, St Bernard's High School; Niniwe Rens, Dr Viljoen Combined School; and Goratamang Lungile, Danielskuil Combined School.

The Central University of Technology in collaboration with Standard Bank of South Africa (SBSA), hosted the fourth annual Entrepreneurial Matriculant of the Year Competition (EMYC). The competition aims to showcase the innovative spirit and entrepreneurial potential of high school learners from the Central and Northern Cape regions.

The competition also provides a platform for learners to develop and present innovative business ideas through detailed business plans. This exercise also encourages self-learning and basic research. To ensure participants were well-prepared, CUT offered training on essential business concepts, including financial sustainability and revenue generation, while SBSA delivered financial literacy sessions.

From these submissions, a distinguished panel of judges drawn from CUT, SBSA, the business sector and curriculum experts evaluated the learners’ submissions to draw the top five winners. The winners received cash prizes and full bursaries to pursue their chosen academic programs at CUT, covering tuition fees, accommodation, book allowances, and a monthly stipend.

The top five winners for 2024

1st Prize winner: Niniwe Rens from Dr Viljoen Combined School, Bloemfontein. Niniwe developed a mobile app that enables users to compare food prices, nutritional information, and recipes, earning her a cash prize of R20 000.

2nd Prize winners: Bernice van Eeden, Kegomoditswe Mancwe, and Thokozile Shakira Ndlovu from High School Kathu in Northen Cape. The team proposed personalised meal plans based on genetic profiles using home DNA tests. They walked away with a cash prize of R15 000.

3rd Prize winners: Lesego Tsatsinyane and Luvuyo Hlanjwa from St. Bernard's High School, Bloemfontein. Their innovative energy-efficient laundry service, which uses minimal water and electricity won them a cash prize of R12 000.

4th Prize winner: Grentham Pier from Wrenchville High School in Kuruman, Northern Cape. Grentham established an organic poultry farm producing high-quality chicken and eggs. He received a cash prize of R8 500.

5th Prize winner: Goratamang Lungile from Danielskuil Combined School, Northern Cape. Goratamang’s idea focused on commercial livestock farming specialising in cattle and sheep. She won a cash prize of R5 000.