National BRICS debate victory sends UKZN scholar to Russia

A University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) doctoral student has been crowned the national BRICS Debate Champion and will represent South Africa at the international finals in Russia in December.

Melissa Sibanda (29) won the national championship hosted by the BRICS Research Institute, earning her a place at the finals in Moscow, where she will compete against champions from the other BRICS founding countries — Brazil, Russia, India and China.

ALSO READ | Deputy Minister Singh rejects “environment vs economy” debate

The winner of the international championship will receive a fully sponsored academic exchange at a university of their choice in a BRICS country.

Sibanda is pursuing a PhD in Geography, Planning and Housing within UKZN’s School of Social Sciences.

Her research examines the disproportionate burden on women living in informal settlements without reliable, affordable energy.

Her academic expertise in housing, poverty, gender and energy has also shaped her engagement with wider Global South issues.

From housing researcher to debate champion

Sibanda said her interest in the BRICS Debate began after she attended the third BRICS Research Institute Conference in China in 2024 through an opportunity funded by the UKZN College of Humanities Research Office.

ALSO READ | Gwarube urges public input as History curriculum debate intensifies

“I went in as a housing researcher and came out convinced that the questions I care about, such as poverty, gender, energy, and how cities are built globally, are exactly the ones being negotiated in multilateral spaces,” she said.

It reinforced, for me, the importance of the Global South setting its own terms, rather than simply inheriting someone else’s.

Motivated to contribute to those discussions, rather than simply observe them, Sibanda applied for the BRICS Debate open call in March.

She then immersed herself in the history, structures and institutions of BRICS, while examining the political and economic interests of its member states and debates around reforming global governance.

Sibanda, who also works as an Academic Development Officer in UKZN’s College of Humanities, said she plans to remain composed and think clearly under pressure during the finals.

To represent South Africa well doesn’t require out-talking anyone; instead, it calls on engaging seriously with their positions while maintaining my own evidence-based perspective with clarity.

Sibanda’s academic journey began at UKZN, where she completed both her undergraduate and master’s degrees.

ALSO READ | R178 000 Turkey trip scandal: Fraud case against debate coach postponed to April

‘A proud moment’ for UKZN

Dr Normah Zondo, executive director of UKZN’s Corporate Relations Division, congratulated Sibanda on the achievement.

Zondo said Sibanda’s success demonstrated the value of rigorous scholarship and informed debate, particularly on issues affecting communities across the Global South.

Zondo said Sibanda’s ability to connect her academic knowledge to issues including poverty, gender inequality, energy access and urban development showed how scholarship could contribute to global conversations.

Sibanda will now prepare to take her place on the international stage in Moscow in December, where she will represent South Africa against the national champions of the other BRICS founding countries.