The 2023 Chronicle

Khanyile, our subject head of Mathematical Literacy and Assistant Housemaster of Ralfe, will be moving on to Hilton to fulfil a similar role, and Richard Johnson will be the new head of Economics at Reddam House in Constantia. Sibonelo and Richard have played a significant role in boarding life as well as on the C Block Journey and the sports field. We thank them and wish them every blessing as they move on to their new situations. More recently, Jaco Dippenaar, the head of our Music Department, has indicated a desire to step down from teaching and to pursue other interests and we thank Jaco for his commitment to leading what has become a very fine department. Thank you, Jaco. We are fortunate to have a very strong staff body which is committed to ensuring the success of Michaelhouse, and I would like to thank each and every one of you for: helping boys to understand concepts better than previously; inspiring them in lessons; going over problems in Science or Mathematics until they understand; helping them organise their lives; leading them forward in the pastoral realm; disciplining them; and providing them with an opportunity to develop their interests as they make their way forward from their early days at Michaelhouse, when there is relative uncertainty, to their final years. You, as a staff, affirm your belief in their holistic education, which has always been part of Michaelhouse, and I thank you warmly today for your wholehearted commitment to this great school. My special thanks go to the Deputy Rectors, Win de Wet, Brendan Gittins and Sibusiso Ncamani, and to the Chaplain, the Revd Chris Meyer, for their enormous and varied contribution in the engine room of the school. The continued support of our Old Boys remains hugely beneficial to Michaelhouse and here the leadership of Wayne Witherspoon, the outgoing President of the Old Boys’ Club, and Sean Lumley, the incoming president, has been significant in the success of the school and in establishing a confluence of thinking and direction. A new programme which has been launched by the Old Boys’ Club is the mentorship of our matriculants by relatively recent Old Boys who have been away from Michaelhouse for only five to seven years, and this provides valuable support, over and above that which more mature adults can give to our leavers, in choosing directions at university or shortly thereafter. There is also a joint initiative in which some of our staff and Old Boys combine in evaluating development in the realm of AI and ChatGPT, and this will, in time, be of huge benefit to our boys. Penultimately, I wish to express my gratitude to our Chairman, Andrew Schaefer, and other Board members who spend an enormous amount of time in the cause of benefiting Michaelhouse and at considerable expense to themselves in terms of their travel and commitment. Their commitment, guidance and wisdom is crucial in establishing the ongoing direction of the school over the next number of years. They provide continuity in changing times, understanding both the traditions of the school and the need to develop and transform. My 15 minutes is up and we are looking forward to the address of our Senior Prefect and also to that of our guest of honour, and so my final word to our A Block Boys as they leave is to encourage you to do the right thing in life, to follow the values which are prized at Michaelhouse and to serve others in our broader South African and world community. To those to whom much has been given, much will be required.

distinction. You will understand that I cannot give airtime to the success of each and every matriculant, so I need to be eclectic and to give an overview of some of the boys who have shone and some who have contributed much to the lives of others. Theo Apteker has been multifaceted, a great Head of House and to the fore in athletics and water polo. David du Toit has also been Head of House and is consistently at the helm of the academic Top 10. Rob Butcher regularly led our charge in canoeing, as did John Yeadon in hockey. The Hoatson twins did so in squash, cricket and much else. Jordan Baxter is a key player in basketball, and in other sports. Nathi Khumalo and Muako aepa have been prominent in their service work and have made a big contribution to soccer. Kofi Asumaning has done so in musical activities, and GQ Mbuyazi in all forms of music, in wearing the red-and-white coat as a War Cry leader and in his half-time gymnastics. Wandile Mlaba and Thabo Njapha have made their rugby opponents scared, and Elihle Ngcobo has done similar damage in the area of basketball. Well done to our big Eddie, too, on being a top athlete and a good role model. It has been quite a year and we wish all of our matriculants every success as they move on to their new challenges. Guiding, directing, inspiring, teaching, disciplining, coaching, counselling and ultimately nurturing these and other boys are the staff – academic, administrative and operational – and I want to pay tribute to this body of men and women without whom the school would not run so effectively. We remember and honour Florence Sibongile Jali, who worked at Michaelhouse for 33 years and died suddenly in April, and we pay tribute to Jane Thulisile Mlotshwa, who retires from the laundry after 31 years here. Philemon Zuma leaves us as senior painter after 28 years, Nkosingiphile Ntshangase etires also as a painter after 16 years, Gugu Hadebe leaves us after 15 years as a cleaner, and Alfred Sibatana retires after 12 years also as a painter. I ask Jane, Philemon, Nkosingiphile, Gugu and Alfred to receive a small token of our appreciation on a total of over 100 years’ service to Michaelhouse. We have long-service certificates to award. Firstly, to those with 25 years’ or more of service: Eugene Ngidi, Richard McMichael, Siphiwe Mhlongo, Sheena White and Philemon Zuma. Please could they come up to receive their certificates. Then 30-year certificates are awarded to: Dumisani Wellington Duma, Lynette Gwala and Pushpa Ramharack. Please could they come up to receive their certificates. Our interns make an enormous difference to Michaelhouse and we have a number who are leaving this year after graduating. They will go on to grace other schools and we hope, before too long, that there will be a position open at Michaelhouse to which they will return. Without exception they have played a wonderful role in the life of our school and we thank David Pachonick, Banele Mlangeni, Simeon Goddard, Simphiwe Junior Mazibuko, Sifiso Shabangu, Linda Mabuza and Tim-Tim Khumalo for their role in our academic, sporting and cultural programme. Could we please give them a round of applause? Inevitably, some of our academic staff are destined to move on to other schools, almost always on promotion. A month ago we lost Ernest Rindfleisch, head of Economics, to St Alban’s School, a top-flight academic school in the UK. We thank Ernest for his service of nearly a decade to Michaelhouse. Sibonelo

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