8 May 2023
Debating at Maritzburg College is undergoing a period of encouraging growth. The old saying goes that success breeds success, and that it very much what is happening at the school, with Mahomed-Haseeb Moosa playing a big role in encouraging others to take a crack at debating.
“I think we have some of the most talented speakers we have ever had,” he told Pinnacle Schools recently. “We have more speakers going to the Inter-provincials than ever before. Generally speaking, the quality of College debating is going up, and so are the numbers.”
If one is to talk about talented speakers, then Mahomed-Haseeb’s name needs to appear at or near the top of the list. His excellence has not only taken him to the level of inter-provincial competition, but on to international debating. He is set to represent South Africa next month in an international competition, and that will be followed by the Doxbridge World School Debating Championships.
That’s a stage far removed from his first experience of debating, which began when he first became a Maritzburg College student.
“I thought this could be a really fun opportunity, not just to speak, but also to meet people,” he said. Mahomed had done well in public speaking, but his first debating experience proved to be daunting.
“Very, very scary”
“It was scary, very scary,” he recalled. “I walked up to the podium, hands shaking, knees wobbly, and I started to speak. Halfway through, I realised it wasn’t that scary. I improved during the debate.”
Part of the attraction of debating is an adrenaline rush, he admitted. “You’re making things up, making up statistics and hoping you don’t get called out. There is a big adrenaline rush, especially if you love it, and I think I do.”
At the level of inter-provincial competition and above, the demands becoming a lot tougher, he explained: “From that level, it’s only one hour of prep on every topic. That’s all you get! A lot of it is thinking on your feet, and thinking in prep. In prep, you’re also not allowed to use your cellphones or the Internet. It comes from your head, on the spot.”
Misconception
Mahomed-Haseeb said there was a misconception that speakers enter debates filled with heaps of information, but that is very far from the truth. “I walk in knowing nothing. I know nothing walking out, and I just pretend I do,” he said with a laugh.
The manner in which one presents a topic is crucial to one’s success, he explained: “The delivery is very important. We teach the grade 8s at College that 90 percent of debating is sounding really confident while you talk, hoping people believe you.”
Ah, but that sounds like what a con man would do, we suggested. Quick as a flash, Mahomed-Haseeb answered: “I would say a con man, but I could also say businessman, CEO, President, politician. I think speaking with confidence is, generally, a very good tool, but oftentimes we are talking about things that have logical links. With a con man, it’s about getting some form of trust out of a person to scam them.” In an instant, he had demonstrated his ability to think quickly on his feet.
Personable, well-mannered, and with an easy smile, Mahomed-Haseeb Moosa is helping to popularise debating at Maritzburg College and in Pietermaritzburg.
Success in debating is about more than one person, however. Team chemistry is what wins and loses debates, he said.
“Luckily, here at College, we have really incredible chemistry. Our team has known each other for ever, and we are, therefore, really close-knit. Some teams have clashes and think of different ideas. But, because we are always on the same page, it means that we have gone on an unbeaten streak because our chemistry is so good.
“We all understand what we need to do, and we are able to communicate that very effectively.”
Talking about the responsibility that comes with representing South Africa, Mahomed-Haseeb described it as a scary experience: “I am really worried, not just on a talent level, but also there is huge pressure being part of this team. Representing your country is a scary thing.”
Detailing the preparation for international competition with team members that live elsewhere in South Africa, he said: “We have these online meetings, and we go over content. In the essay development team, which I am in, we have two coaches. They’re both incredibly talented and esteemed. The system that they’ve devised includes assignments that we do at home, and then we have these online meetings once a week, on a Sunday. In them, we go over content and strategy, how to approach debates, and then we debate after that.”
A role to play in society
Mohamed said debating has an important to play in a society in which social media has created a culture in which people are trying to prove themselves right, as opposed to hearing what others have to say. In school, he said: “We are able to discuss issues in a controlled way. That’s why it is so beneficial, when we have this fractured society, and where social media has ruined the way in which we have these discussions, that platform is really valuable.”
He is also giving back, helping to encourage those new to debating, by coaching the juniors at Maritzburg College. However, he is active beyond the bounds of the school, too.
“For me, a lot of it is about building a community around debating, and building debating as a sport,” said Mahomed-Haseeb.
“I think the ability to articulate yourself and be eloquent and express these huge issues – oftentimes we are talking about things that affect people from different race groups, different social groups, and different socio-economic groups – is really important. We need to encourage as many people to do it as possible, and to start developing people.
“It’s why, when there were talks of having a development league in Pietermaritzburg, I opted into being one of the coaches. That’s why we have had a development tournament here at Maritzburg College, to encourage a sense of community and an acceptance of everyone in debating.”
A sense of community
A sense of community and people truly caring for one another is one of the keys to success, Mahomed-Haseeb said. Then he related a story about something that had happened at Maritzburg College, which reinforced to him that the community at the school is truly something special.
It happened during an inter-house singing competition, and it could have been a bad experience for one of the boys. Instead, it turned into a feel-good occasion.
“There was someone who went up to sing, and his voice was cracking while he was singing. Never have you seen that many College boys get together to sing a love song behind a guy playing guitar on the stage,” he laughed.
“People’s torches were out, and they were waving them and showing their support. At that moment, I realised that what we have here is not something that everybody has,” Mahomed-Haseeb said.
“I discussed it with the essay team a while ago, and asked if their schools do this, and I sent them a video. They said they would never see something like that.
“I realised College is something special, and I don’t think I appreciated it, or realised how special it was, until that experience. It was a very heart-warming moment. My faith in College was renewed.”
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