3 South African Teens Take Innovation to Global Science Stage

Three teenagers are about to show the world how young minds can solve some of our biggest environmental and health challenges.

Marlhuné Bezuidenhout, Naftal Khoza, and Khushi Lall, all in Grade 10, will represent South Africa at the 2025 Beijing Youth Science Creation Competition from March 25 to 29, 2026. They earned their spots by standing out among hundreds of young scientists at the Eskom Expo for Young Scientists International Science Fair last October.

Each student brings a unique solution to the table. Bezuidenhout from Hoërskool Secunda in Mpumalanga investigated something farmers often miss: how heavy metals accumulate in sheep grazing on pastures, affecting both livestock health and the safety of meat that reaches our plates. Her research examines real farming conditions, providing practical insights that could protect both animals and consumers.

Khoza from Ennerdale Secondary School in Johannesburg tackled an ironic twist in environmental science. He studied whether invasive plant species, typically seen as ecological threats, could actually help clean contaminated soil by absorbing heavy metals and nutrients. His controlled experiments comparing invasive and native plants could lead to affordable, sustainable cleanup methods that turn a problem into a solution.

Lall from Tyger Valley College in Pretoria explored nature's medicine cabinet. She investigated how indigenous wild garlic and its hybrid varieties could preserve food naturally, testing different growing and extraction methods to fight harmful bacteria like Staphylococcus aureus. Her findings could help food producers move away from synthetic preservatives toward plant-based alternatives.

The Ripple Effect: These three students represent something bigger than their individual projects. They're part of a growing wave of African youth applying scientific thinking to local challenges with global implications. Their research addresses food security, environmental restoration, and public health using resources available in their communities.

The delegation will travel to the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences with support from the Eskom Development Foundation, the South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement, and the University of the Witwatersrand. They'll join young innovators from around the world at one of the planet's leading youth science platforms.

Mologadi Motshele, Acting CEO of the Eskom Development Foundation, emphasized that programs like this build more than individual skills. They create networks of young problem-solvers who learn from each other while contributing solutions to challenges that don't respect borders.

The competition's 45th edition will showcase how the next generation approaches science: not as an abstract academic exercise, but as a practical tool for building a better world.

Registration for next year's Eskom Expo remains open for students in Grades 4 through 12 and TVET college students, ensuring more young South Africans get their chance to turn curiosity into breakthrough research.