Sinonelelwe Molose in action
The seven-day championship, hosted at Wits University, brought together around 50 universities from across the continent, making it one of Africa’s most prestigious and competitive debating tournaments.
Sinonelelwe Molose, far right, together with the other winners
Beyond university debating, Molose is an active high school debate coach, having co-coached the Eastern Cape Senior and Junior Debate Squads. They have also organised high school tournaments and regularly contribute to the running and adjudication of university debate competitions.
As 21-year-old third-year LLB student at the University, Molose hopes to pursue a legal career, “preferably one based in the courtroom, where I can fully utilise my advocacy, speaking and critical-thinking skills.”
Molose began adjudicating schools-level debates in 2019 while in Grade 9 and transitioned to university-level British Parliamentary adjudication in late 2023 during their first year at Mandela University. Their debating journey started in 2018 at Selborne College in East London, where they discovered a lasting passion for the activity.
During their schools debating career, Molose represented the Eastern Cape at the South African Schools National Debating Championships in 2020 and 2021 and was selected to trial for the South African National Debate Squad in 2022. “This background gave me a strong foundation for how I approach judging debates,” they say.
“I initially joined debating for public speaking (and because I like the sound of my own voice),” Molose adds. “But I quickly realised how much more competitive and intellectually engaging debating is. At its core, I love debate because I enjoy meaningful conversations — from high-stakes societal issues to abstract philosophical questions. Debating gives me the space to constantly ask ‘why’ and ‘how’.”
Molose attributes their success to consistency, reflection and intentional improvement. They regularly adjudicate tournaments, seek feedback from experienced judges and speakers, and refine their approach through training content and additional resources. Coaching, organising tournaments and training other adjudicators, they say, has deepened their understanding of what it means not just to judge, but to judge well.