A Durban University of Technology (DUT) student has represented South Africa at the global finals of the “Chinese Bridge” Chinese Proficiency Competition in China after emerging as the country’s national champion earlier this year.
Sixolise Tshobonga, known to her Mandarin teachers as Li Jinghe (李静和), began learning Mandarin at the Confucius Institute at DUT in August 2024. Less than two years later, she would go on to compete on an international stage against Mandarin learners from around the world.
Tshobonga was among three students from the Confucius Institute at DUT who represented the university at the national Chinese Bridge competition in Cape Town in May 2026. She emerged as the national champion after competing against 21 other contestants.
Her achievement marked a significant milestone for the Confucius Institute at DUT, securing the university’s first national Chinese Bridge title in more than a decade.
The national competition consisted of a written test, speech and talent show. In preparation, Tshobonga spent considerable time refining her speech and talent performance while preparing for the written component.
Her success followed a strong academic performance in Mandarin. In 2025, she achieved a perfect score in the HSK 2 test, demonstrating her commitment to developing her language proficiency.
Tshobonga said her decision to learn Mandarin initially came as a surprise because she was unaware that the language was offered at DUT.
“It came as a complete surprise, but it turned out to be one of the best things I could have ever done for myself,” she says.
Her involvement with the Confucius Institute extended beyond the classroom. She participated in several cultural activities, including performing during the Spring Festival and winning first place at International Chinese Language Day.
“Learning Mandarin has long stopped being about the opportunities and things I could get, but about the love of the language, culture, history and China,” she says.
Following her national victory, Tshobonga travelled to China on 4 August 2026 to represent South Africa at the global
Sixolise Tshobonga was awarded the title of Ambassador for Chunlun Jasmine Tea in South Africa.
During the programme, she joined contestants from around the world and visited several Chinese cities, including Beijing, Fuzhou, Pingtan, Zhangzhou and Xiamen. The programme included visits to historic and cultural sites such as the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, Nanjing Tulou and Gulangyu Island.
She also participated in tea-picking and tea-making activities at the Chunlun Ecological Tea Garden and was selected as an ambassador for Chunlun Jasmine Tea in South Africa.
At the global finals, Tshobonga achieved an overall score of 87% across the written test, talent show and oral presentation.
Her performance was further recognised with a semester-long scholarship to study Chinese in China, awarded by the Centre for Language Education and Cooperation.
For Tshobonga, the experience has reinforced her belief in the value of persistence and the opportunities that come with embracing something new.
“Through learning Chinese and participating in Chinese Bridge, I was able to make friends from all over the world, get opportunities, experience Chinese culture, language and history, and realise that I am capable,” she says.
“Only if I work hard will I achieve great things. Some may come faster and some later, but only if I don’t give up.”
She believes the experience marks the beginning of a longer journey with the Chinese language.
“I believe this is only the beginning of my Chinese journey and amazing things to come,” she says.
Mr Lin Wu, Director of the Confucius Institute at DUT, said Tshobonga’s achievement demonstrated the impact of dedication and institutional support.
“We are immensely proud of Ms Sixolise Tshobonga’s achievements. Her story shows that with dedication and the right support, language learning can change lives,” he says.
“I sincerely hope that her example will encourage more students to embrace Mandarin, not only as a language, but as a bridge to broader horizons and brighter futures. We look forward to seeing many more young learners rise, dream and succeed.”
Tshobonga’s achievement highlights the opportunities available to DUT students through the Confucius Institute, demonstrating how language learning can open pathways to international competition, cultural exchange, further study and global exposure.
Pictured: Sixolise Tshobonga who was recognised as the national champion of the Chinese Bridge competition in Cape Town.
Photos: Supplied.
Yuxin Zhang
