Pinelands High School’s Sisipho Quva, a Grade 10 learner, has been elected to the prestigious Junior City Council (JCC) of Cape Town, a platform that empowers young leaders to engage with critical social issues.
The JCC is a youth-leadership initiative established to provide young individuals with first-hand experience in governance, civic engagement and community development.
The programme allows members to work alongside City officials, participate in decision-making discussions and implement projects that address societal challenges affecting young people in Cape Town.
Quva was chosen from a highly competitive pool of 452 applicants. Of these, 184 learners were interviewed, only 50 ultimately selected to form part of the council. The rigorous selection process included a written application, an online assessment and a final interview. In the interview Sisipho delivered a compelling speech on substance abuse and gang violence, pressing challenges affecting Cape Town’s youth.
Her decision to join the JCC stems from a deep commitment to community upliftment. She hoped her role in the council would enable her to contribute meaningfully to discussions on youth development, safety and social change.
Beyond her leadership aspirations, Quva harboured a strong passion for finance and accounting. Her interest in the field began in 2020, when she started assisting her mother’s small business. “I realised I love working with numbers and solving problems logically. That’s when I decided I wanted to be a chartered accountant.” She is currently pursuing accounting as a subject, with the ambitious goal of working for one of four big accounting firms.
Looking further ahead, she also dreams of serving as South Africa’s Minister of Finance to ensure economic stability through sound financial planning. This is just the beginning of Quva’s JCC journey, but her drive and determination show she’s well on the way to making a lasting impact on her community and beyond.
