Vryburg - A new game, called the Save It! Digital game, available free on the internet and on MXit, is set to keep youngsters entertained for hours, while teaching them to save energy.
Government today launched the game that aims to teach children how and why to save energy.
The Save It! Digital game, officially launched by the Minister of Energy Dipuo Peters, at the Tigerkloof Combined School in Vryburg, features three superheroes who try to thwart the Energy Guzzler, a power-wasting monster, who is consuming all the electricity available in a home.
The superheroes do battle to out-maneuver the Guzzler, beating him by saving as much power as they can, before he can undo their good work.
The game is aimed at youngsters who will be able to compare the points that they have scored with other MXit users across the country.
Speaking at the launch, Minister Peters said in a fast-changing world, government is constantly looking for new ways to reach its citizens.
"We are very excited to be using new media to communicate with the youth - who, let's admit, are already far more techno-savvy than any adult.
"Reaching the hearts and minds of South Africans starts with reaching the youth: we hope that they will take what they have learnt into their homes, their schools and, ultimately, into the future," the minister said.
She said in light of both the recently announced electricity tariff increase and the global economic recession, government was more dedicated to helping South Africans keep their household electricity bills lower than before.
"People need to see and experience the benefits of saving energy, buy-in to the concept of energy efficiency, they must see the benefit of energy efficiency for themselves and the world at large," she said.
One of the learners at Tigerkloof, Keneilwe Mosiane, 17, told BuaNews that although she had not yet played the game, it sounded exciting and she was keen to try it. .
"I am very excited about the new game and can't wait to play it. It is essential that we know the importance of energy and how we should save it," she said.
Another learner, Oupa Sekonyela, 13, said he will teach his parents to use electricity wisely and remind them to switch-off electrical appliances when they are not in use.
The Save It! Digital game is available on MXit (in the Tradepost) and can be freely downloaded from www.savingenergy.co.za - the National Energy Efficiency Campaign's website.
The social-networking tool, MXit, is a free instant messaging software application that runs on mobile phones and computers.
It allows users to send and receive text messages to other users, or to use general chat rooms. It is used by an estimated 11 million people, with approximately 250-million messages sent and received every day. It is very popular among young South Africans.
