South African debaters are increasingly making their presence felt on global platforms, with young speakers from the country continuing to distinguish themselves in some of the world’s most competitive debating spaces. Beyond trophies and rankings, debating is also emerging as an important tool for critical thinking, leadership, public engagement, and global citizenship among young people.

One of the rising voices in this space is Grade 10 learner Ruby Banjac from Reddam House Bedfordview, who recently competed at the prestigious Harvard College World Schools Invitational 2026 in the United States. We spoke to Ruby and her coach, Luka  Mihajlovic and the growing prominence of South African debaters on the international stage, the value of debating in shaping young leaders and what it takes to compete in high-level global discourse spaces at such a young age.