| XITSONGA | ||||
| POSITION | REVIEW | READING | DEBATE | SPELLING BEE |
| Position 3 | Gold Bar (DCS GP) | UJ Literary Legends | Gold Bar (DCS GP) | Gold Bar (DCS GP) |
| Position 2 | Baobab (DCS LMN) | Inspirational UL | Dikwankwetla (DCS) | Dikwankwetla (DCS |
| Position 1 | UJ Literary Legends | Baobab (DCS LMN) | Gemsbok (DCS) | Tihosi (DCS) |
| OVERALL XITSONGA | ||||
| Position 3 | Inspirational (UL BC) | |||
| Position 2 | Gold Bar (DCS GP) | |||
| Position 1 | Baobab (DCS LMN) | |||
| TSHIVENDA | ||||
| POSITION | REVIEW | READING | DEBATE | SPELLING BEE |
| Position 3 | Ditau (DCS GP) | Honey Bee (DCS GP) | Positive Mind (DCS GP) | Baobab (DCS LMN) |
| Position 2 | Rivoningo (DCS LMN) | Ditau (DCS GP) | Ditau (DSC GP) | Positive Mind (DCS GP) |
| Position 1 | Honey Bee (DCS GP) | Tihosi (DCS LMN) | Inspirational (UL BC) | Ditau (DCS GP) |
| OVERALL TSHIVENDA | ||||
| Position 3 | Baobab (DCS LMN) | |||
| Position 2 | Positive minds (DCS GP) | |||
| Position 1 | Ditau (DCS GP) | |||
| AFRIKAANS | ||||
| POSITION | REVIEW | READING | DEBATE | SPELLING BEE |
| Position 3 | WC Stormers (DCS WC) | Asithuthuke (DCS KZN) | Gold Bar (DCS GP) | Spinners (DCS WC) |
| Position 2 | Literati (DCS NC & FS) | WC Stormers (DCS WC) | Baffalos (DCS EC) | Francis Baard (NC Com) |
| Position 1 | Gold Bar (DCS GP) | Cape Minstrels (DCS WC) | Ngunis (DCS EC) | WC Stormers (DCS WC) |
| OVERALL AFRIKAANS | ||||
| Position 3 | Cape Minstrals (DCS WC) | |||
| Position 2 | Ngunis (DCS EC) | |||
| Position 1 | Gold Bar (DCS GP) | |||
| ISIZULU | ||||
| POSITIONS | REVIEW | READING | DEBATE | SPELLING BEE |
| Position 3 | Cheetahs (DCS NC & FS) | Redemption Readers (DCS WC) | Mpumelelo (DCS KZN) | Nelson Mandela University |
| Position 2 | Culture Africana (DCS) | Asithuthuke (DCS KZN) | Asithuthuke (DCS KZN) | Masifunde (DCS KZN) |
| Position 1 | Siyaphambili (DCS KZN) | Elephants (DCS EC) | Siyaphambili (DCS KZN) | Asithuthuke (DCS KZN) |
| OVERALL ISIZULU | ||||
| Position 3 | Elephants (DCS EC) | |||
| Position 2 | Cheetahs (DCS NC & FS) | |||
| Position 1 | Siyaphambili (DCS KZN) | |||
| NAMA | ||||
| POSITION | REVIEW | READING | DEBATE | SPELLING BEE |
| Position 3 | Mighty Readers NC Community Book Club | Visionaries NC Community Book Club | Mighty Readers NC Community Book Club | Mighty readers NC Community Book Club |
| Position 2 | Visionaries NC Community Book Club | Mighty Readers NC Community Book Club | Visionaries NC Community Book Club | Plaatfontein NC Community Book Club |
| Position 1 | Plaatfontein NC Community Book Club | Plaatfontein NC Community Book Club | Might Readers NC Com | Visionaries NC Community Book Club |
| OVERALL NAMA | ||||
| Position 3 | Mighty Readers | |||
| Position 2 | Visionaries | |||
| Position 1 | Plaatfontein | |||
| SESOTHO | ||||
| POSITION | REVIEW | READING | DEBATE | SPELLING BEE |
| Position 3 | Ngunis (DCS EC) | Ngunis (DCS | Celtis Africana (DCS | Inkwekwezi (DCS |
| Position 2 | Bokamoso FS Com | Ditau (DCS | Gemsbok (DCS NC & FS) | Reading for Redemption (DCS) |
| Position 1 | Inkwekwezi (DCS | Madibas (EC Univ) | Cheetahs (DCS NC & FS) | Madiba’s Rez – Nelson Mandela University |
| OVERALL SESOTHO | ||||
| Position 3 | Celtis Africana | |||
| Position 2 | Inkwenkwezi | |||
| Position 1 | Cheetahs | |||
| SETSWANA | ||||
| POSITION | REVIEW | READING | DEBATE | SPELLING BEE |
| Position 3 | Inkwenkwezi (DCS | Visionaries NC Com | Baobab (DCS LMN) | Maaparankwe NC Com |
| Position 2 | Honey Bee (DCS GP) | UJ Literary Legend GP Com | Pixley Ka Seme NC Com | Visionaries NC Com |
| Position 1 | Baobab (DCS LMN | Literati (DCS) | Cheetahs (DCS NC&FS) | Honey Bee (DCS GP |
| OVERALL SETSWANA | ||||
| Position 3 | Inkwenkwezi (DCS | |||
| Position 2 | Cheetahs (NC & FS) | |||
| Position 1 | Baobab (DCS LMN) | |||
| SEPEDI/SESOTHO SA LEBOWA | ||||
| POSITION | REVIEW | READING | DEBATE | SPELLING BEE |
| Position 3 | Dikakapa (DCS LMN) | Tihosi (DCS LMN) | Ditau (DCS GP) | Inspirational UL Comm |
| Position 2 | Rivoningo (DCS LMN) | Ditau (DCS GP) | Rivoningo (DCS LMN) | Pepperboom (DCS LMN) |
| Position 1 | Honey Bee (DCS GP) | Dikwankwetla (DCS GP) | Honey Bee (DCS GP) | Gold Bars (DCS GP) |
| OVERALL SESOTHO SA LEBOWA | ||||
| Position 3 | Baobab (DCS LMN) | |||
| Position 2 | Rivoningo (DCS LMN) | |||
| Position 1 | Honey Bee (DCS GP) | |||
| SISWATI | ||||
| REVIEW | READING | DEBATE | SPELLING BEE | |
| Position 3 | Baobab (DCS LMN) | Rivoningo (DCS LMN) | Gold Bar (DCS GP) | Positive Minds (DCS GP) |
| Position 2 | Gold Bar (DCS GP) | Positive Mind (DCS | Rivoningo (DCS GP) | Gold Bar (DCS GP) |
| OVERALL SISWATI | ||||
| Position 3 | Rivoningo (DCS LMN) | |||
| Position 2 | Dikakapa (DCS LMN) | |||
| Position 1 | Gold Bar (DCS LMN) | |||
| ISINDEBELE | ||||
| POSITION | REVIEW | READING | DEBATE | SPELLING BEE |
| Position 3 | Positive minds (DCS GP) | Positive mind (LMN) | Honey Bee (DCS GP) | Positive Minds (DCS GP) |
| Position 2 | Pepperboom (DCS LMN) | Honey bee (DCS GP) | Pepperboom (DCS LMN) | Cape Pensula University of Technology |
| Position 1 | Honey bee (DCS GP) | Pepperboom (DCS LMN) | Positive Mind (DCS GP) | Pepperboom (DCS LMN) |
| OVERALL ISINDEBELE | ||||
| Position 3 | Positive Minds (DCS GP) | |||
| Position 2 | Honey Bee (DCS GP) | |||
| Position 1 | Pepperboom (DCS LMN) | |||
| ISIXHOSA | ||||
| POSITION | REVIEW | READING | DEBATE | SPELLING BEE |
| Position 3 | Siyaphambili (DCS KZN) | Cheetahs (DCS NC & FS) | Ngunis (DCS EC) | Elephants (DCS EC) |
| Position 2 | Ngunis (DCS EC) | Ngunis (DCS EC) | Positive Minds (DCS GP) | Siyabonqoba (DCS KZN) |
| Position 1 | Elephants (DCS EC) | Buffalo (DCS EC) | Reading Gatsby (DCS WC) | Knysna All Star Comm BC |
| OVERALL ISIXHOSA | ||||
| Position 3 | Buffallo (DCS EC) | |||
| Position 2 | Cheetahs (DCS NC& FS) | |||
| Position 1 | Ngunis (DCS EC) | |||
| ENGLISH | ||||
| POSITION | REVIEW | READING | DEBATE | SPELLING BEE |
| Position 3 | Might Readers | Buffalos (DCS EC) | Celtic Africana (DCS NC & FS) | Gold bar (DCS GP) |
| Position 2 | Positive Minds (DCS GP) | Celtic Africana (DCS NC & FS) | Elephants (DCS EC) | Madiba Rez Comm BC |
| Position 1 | Inkwenkwezi (DCS LMN) | Masifunde (DCS KZN) | Masifunde (DCS KZN) | Reading Gatsby (DCS WC) |
| OVERALL ENGLISH | ||||
| Position 3 | Cape Minstrels (DCS WC) | |||
| Position 2 | Ngunis (DCS EC) | |||
| Position 1 | Golder Bar (DCS GP) | |||
By Stephina Khunwane
After all the spelling, debating, reading and book reviewing, the moment everyone had been waiting for finally arrived: time to crown the best of the best.
The Funda Mzantsi Championship results were announced, and winners were honoured for their outstanding efforts throughout the competition. Offenders and community book clubs had waited anxiously for the results after a nail-biting contest kept everyone on the edge of their seats.
Finally, the wait was over. The best of the best were crowned, celebrating not only their wins but also the hard work that had carried them there since the eliminations.
Speaker after speaker reminded the audience that everyone who took part in the Championship was a winner. The journey did not begin in George; before reaching the National Championship, book clubs went through a series of elimination rounds, and those who made it through to George had already achieved something remarkable.
Awards were presented by the Deputy Minister of the Department of Correctional Services, Ms Lindiwe Ntshalintshali; the National Commissioner of the Department of Correctional Services, Mr Makgothi Thobakgale; the Deputy Mayor of George Municipality, Advocate Gert van Niekerk; the Executive Head of Languages at the Pan South African Language Board (PANSALB), Mr Julius Dantile; the Chairperson of the National Library of South Africa, Mr Bernado Maralack; and Regional Commissioners and Chief Deputy Commissioners of the Department of Correctional Services.
Funda Mzantsi is one of the Department of Correctional Services’ efforts to rehabilitate offenders. Book reading, reviewing, debating and spelling bees help offenders hone their cognitive, emotional and social communication skills.