Learners from St John Paul II Secondary School in Elandskop, KwaZulu-Natal, have won Vodacom South Africa’s 2026 Eco-Warriors Sustainability Competition.
Vodacom South Africa launched the competition in October 2025 to encourage learners from grades nine to 11 at Vodacom-supported Schools of Excellence to develop innovative, practical solutions to environmental challenges facing their schools and communities.
The initiative aims to nurture environmental awareness, leadership and problem-solving skills among young people, while promoting the use of technology to address issues such as waste management, energy conservation, water conservation and biodiversity protection.
The winning team impressed judges with a project that transformed plastic waste into reusable pods for plants and herbs, helping to sustain an eco-friendly vegetable garden at the school.
The project demonstrates how environmental sustainability and technology-enabled problem-solving can work together to address local challenges.
By identifying a waste stream, designing a practical reuse solution and creating a sustainable food-growing system, the learners applied innovation and systems thinking skills that are increasingly important in the green economy.
Says Takalani Netshitenzhe, external affairs director for Vodacom South Africa: “Through initiatives like the Eco-Warriors Competition, we’re demonstrating that when you empower young people with connectivity and support, they don’t just see problems, they also become the architects of solutions.
“These learners are proving that innovation knows no bounds, regardless of location or circumstance, and their achievement stands as a testament to the power of youth determination and the transformative impact of digital connectivity in remote communities.”
Hlahlindlela High School, also in KwaZulu-Natal, was named first runner-up after identifying water security as its school’s biggest challenge. Learners established water ambassadors to monitor and report water leaks through a digital platform, turning awareness into meaningful community action.
Worcester Secondary School in the Western Cape secured second runner-up position for its innovative waste management project, which transformed waste materials into visual aids to promote waste separation, reuse and recycling within the school and wider community.
Vodacom praised the calibre of entries submitted by learners.
Vodacom-supported Schools of Excellence are 10 schools in five provinces: KwaZulu-Natal, Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Limpopo and Mpumalanga.
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