KZN schools bring home 24 trophies at national choral championships
Among the top achievements was Empangeni High School from the King Cetshwayo District, which was crowned the 2026 SASCE National Champ of Champs for the second consecutive year.
KwaZulu-Natal schools brought home 24 national trophies at the 2026 ABC Motsepe South African Schools Choral Eisteddfod (SASCE) National Championship, with Empangeni High School successfully defending its prestigious Champ of Champs title.
Hosted by the Department of Basic Education at Moreleta Kerk in Pretoria, the national championship showcased some of South Africa’s top school choirs while promoting musical excellence, cultural diversity, social cohesion and pupil development.
The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education congratulated pupils, teachers, choir conductors, adjudicators, school management teams, district officials and parents for the province’s outstanding performance.
ALSO READ | KZN Department of Education denies being under administration
Among the top achievements was Empangeni High School from the King Cetshwayo District, which was crowned the 2026 SASCE National Champ of Champs for the second consecutive year.
The school also won the Female Choir category, while pupil Mpilo Zungu claimed first place in the Baritone Solo category and Sinethemba Nzama finished second in the Mezzo Soprano Solo category.
Zama High School from the Amajuba District placed third in the Champ of Champs category, won the Male Choir category and saw conductor Mr NE Ndlovu receive the Best Conductor Award.
Other first-place finishes for KwaZulu-Natal included uMinathi Secondary School in the Chamber Choir SATB category, Aquadene Secondary School in the Secondary B Schools category and JG Zuma Secondary School in the Secondary A Western Mixed Choir category.
The province also secured numerous second and third-place finishes across primary, secondary, special school, folklore and solo performance categories.
KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Education Sipho Hlomuka attended the championship in Pretoria and congratulated the provincial choirs on their achievements.
ALSO READ | Department of Education proposes five changes to the school calendar
“These outstanding achievements are a testament to the dedication, discipline and passion of our 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.
The department also thanked all involved at every level for preparing pupils for the national competition.
The South African Schools Choral Eisteddfod is one of the Department of Basic Education’s flagship programmes, providing pupils with opportunities to develop leadership, confidence, teamwork and artistic excellence through music.
