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Liziwe Ntshweza 1st Runner-Up in Old Mutual Budget Speech Competition


At a glittering post-Budget banquet on Wednesday 25th February, Rhodes 2014 Economics Honours graduate Liziwe Ntshweza was announced as the 1st Runner-Up in the postgraduate category of the prestigious annual Nedbank and Old Mutual Budget Speech competition.

Launched in 1972, the competition invites undergraduate and postgraduate Economics students from all SA universities to submit essays on economic topics of great importance to South Africa.  Last year, postgraduate students were required to discuss how SA can grow its economy in a manner that reduces inequality while simultaneously reducing its debt.  10 postgraduate and 10 undergraduate finalists were chosen from all the entries received.  The 20 finalists were flown to Cape Town to attend the annual Budget Speech and the post-Budget banquet at which the winners and runners-up were announced.

Liziwe’s prize is R100 000.  The winner of the postgraduate category received R150 000 and the winner of the undergraduate category R60 000. The organisers of the competition note that generous cash prizes are awarded “because the possibility exists that the fruit of this competition could be an idea or innovation that could change the course of South African economic history”.  With this goal in mind entrants are encouraged “to be bold, innovative and meticulous in their research.”

The Rhodes Department of Economics and Economic History congratulates Liziwe on her fine achievement.  She will be an inspiration for future economics students at Rhodes for years to come.  She continues a record of high achievement by our graduates.  Dylan Smith was the winner of the postgraduate category of the 2012 Budget Speech Competition.  In 2013 both Dylan and fellow Economics Honours graduate Tim Abel were awarded Rhodes Scholarships to Oxford University where they currently are studying economics.

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