The Chronicle 2022

D Block Pondoland Hike

We were all also made aware of the very real threat that potential mining and building of a toll road will bring to this beautiful, untouched part of South Africa and its people. We were reminded about why it is so important to protect, preserve and develop in a way that is sustainable and beneficial to the land and people calling it home. Sinegugu Zikulu and his extraordinary guides opened the eyes of the boys and staff to a new way of experiencing the world through the lens of a culture different from their own. In many ways, the essence of an experience like this is best described by the boys themselves: “I learned a lot about the geographical and cultural history of the area. The theme be a good ancestor summed up the hike and what it’s about perfectly. The friendships and bonds that I strengthened on the trip were greatly beneficial. I learned an important lesson about perseverance, grit, and understanding – and learned to take a step back from my own world and comforts so that I could see their world through theirs. It was impossible

to truly understand, but just the glimpse that I got was enough to make the whole trip worth it. It really was incredible.” – Luke Marks “I enjoyed learning about Pondoland and the stories behind the places we were taken to. To be specific, the activity I enjoyed the most was jumping into Khotso’s Pool, and what I learnt from the experience was to truly enjoy what is around us, not take it for granted and to be thankful for the people behind the scenes fighting against large and small companies to preserve nature, the land and our oceans.” – Anonymous “I Learnt to cherish what I have on a day-to-day basis (flushable toilets, electricity) and also learned we need to protect our environment as once we destroy it, we can’t bring it back – the group that I was in was enjoyable. The hiking was surprisingly enjoyable and relaxing. Materialistic goods don’t bring happiness. Relationships do.” – Ofentse Mdaka

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