News – SACS 1969 TRUST

Closing out 2021 with Imtiaz

Dear SACS 1969 Trust

I would like to take this opportunity to thank each and everyone who has contributed to making this year successful for me.

It has been super exciting for me to attend a new school, meeting new tutors and friends. Although the rugby season had a slow start due to covid and it had a lot of impact with regards to sports, I was still enjoying myself and keeping myself active. I must admit the adjustment was a bit much, but I got used to it, the times, long days, practising, etc. I have interacted with my tutors a lot, and I am pleased to say that all of them including my parents has helped me tremendously throughout this year.

This year taught me a lot, in terms of timing, sacrifice and hard work. I could see my hard work pays off at the end of the year. I have since made the Western Province touch rugby this term and will hopefully be going to Durban to the international tournament in March (God Willing). I am very excited about this and looking forward to playing rugby again.

Imtiaz-community-service — Imtiaz enjoying community service

I have also been doing some community work, assisting my parents, as my mom is part of the community Rugby team in our area, where we visited a boy’s home on Sunday. We had some activities with the boys, had lunch etc and I felt privileged that the skills and training that I learnt this year, could help some of the boys who are interested in the sport. It was also an eye-opener for me when I saw the conditions the boys must live with, and it is really, really sad. I wish I could do more, but I have made friends with them and I intend to keep in contact.

Funny enough just mentioning friends, I had a golfer on with my initials and a boy a bit older than me has the same initials as me, and because he was so eager and I could see he loves the game, I handed my golfer over to him without thinking twice.

I would just like to mention, that this year gave me courage, strength, confidence and motivation. If it is one thing I have learnt, it is to have patience and learn from your mistakes. I would never have made it through this year, without the fund giving me the opportunity for exposure. I cannot thank you enough from the bottom of my heart. To my parents, the sacrifices they made, to make my life a bit easier, even though they are struggling, I thank them, to Tessa who is my motivation and checks up on me all the time, gives up her time to visit me, Thank You and lastly to the fund, all this would have not been possible without the fund, Thank You, Thank You, Thank You, no words can describe how I feel today. I am so blessed.

I would like to wish all a happy Festive season, be safe and stay safe.

With all the love and care

Imtiaz Abrahams

A Letter From Imtiaz Abrahams – The first 6 months

I would like to tell you about the few months since I started school, and how it impacted me in a good way and bad.

My first few months have been a blast, although covid has been bad I have still managed to have fun and enjoy myself. The bad part was that I had a bit of trouble adjusting to the new school, new environment, training daily etc.

Don’t get me wrong, it is amazing, and I love it, but I was always tired. I have managed to overcome this and now it forms part of a routine in my life. I have no struggles with any subjects but I just need to focus on my work and pay attention. There was a few ups and downs but I had fun.

SACS is very welcoming and taught me how to approach things differently. The extra math lessons have really been helpful and I can see myself improving and I just have to play my role and work hard to get better at math. I have being playing touch rugby with some of my friends at school, while normal sports is on hold. I have been running a lot and trying to keep myself active.

I really appreciate what the SACS 1969 Trust fund has done for me and I am very grateful for getting an opportunity of a lifetime and for that I Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Welcome to our new Grade 8 Pupil – Imtiaaz Abrahams

Our new boy entering Grade 8 is Imtiaaz Abrahams.

Imtiaaz is a good rugby player and has sound academic potential with some application and extra effort needed for he is to gain confidence and achieve – particularly in his Maths.

All in all, Imtiaz is happy at SACS and communication with him and his family is excellent. They celebrated Eid together last Friday and had a happy and blessed time together as a family. I will visit him again at school shortly and report back to you about his progress in his Maths lessons once I have more news.

I did a good in-depth performance review with Imtiaz about his report (with his Mom present) and discussed all his subjects in detail and what he thought his problems and difficulties were.

What a blow for all schools’ rugby players that the sport has been suspended until further notice due to Covid restrictions. Up until now, Imtiaz has so enjoyed the season albeit with a huge loss to Rondebosch in his first game (when he played in the B team) but with a good 22-0 win for the U14A team against Bishops two weeks ago. Last week they played Boland Landbou and lost 27-7 but Imtiaz says it was a good game and they are getting better and better. While practices on the field have been suspended I’m sure they may still do some (non-contact) cross country running to keep fit for when the ban is lifted.

A Letter of Thanks

As the year comes to a conclusion I saw it fit to compose a letter of thanks, thanking the SACS 1969 Trust for the many years of support, for investing in my talents and for blessing me and my family with this opportunity. But I would also like to let you into my year, how I found it’s many challenges and how my final year at the Oldest and the Proudest school in the land concluded.

Pre-season rugby began promptly at the end of September 2019. The 2020 season was to be a promising one: two new coaches were introduced, each of whom carried an impressive resume. Mr Kleynhans had coached the SACS 3rd team for a number of years and had accumulated two grand slams, wins against Paul Roos and the best record amongst open level teams 3 years running at SACS. Another inclusion, Mr Wise (as his name suggests) a wise rugby mind and an experienced player himself having played for the highly successful SACS 1995 1stXV side, brought in with him an aura of discipline, hard work and an honest winning mentality. These combinations of great coaching only required a group of players who were determined to achieve what has never been achieved before. Work on the infamous Spencer Smith grounds began as we did manual labour, chest pressing tractor tires on common occasion and heavy gym work in the gym with the conditioning coach of the World Cup-winning Springbok side of 2007, Steve Macintire. New attack structures were introduced as we geared up for yet another tough but exciting season.

We were to go up against some of the best rugby schools in the land. Grey High, Saint Stithians and the favourites coming out of the Southern Suburbs, Bishops were some of the few opponents we were to face. But our main focus was Grey High whom we were to take on on the main day in the Grey Festival. But before our clash with them, we had to face our old foes, Boland Landbou whom we had defeated a couple of times in our age group fixtures. We took them on at the DHL Newlands Stadium, knowing well these few games at the stadium would be some of the last. Captained by Enos Ndiao (Duran Koevort had sustained a hamstring injury) we went out high in confidence. We had a bad start, conceding two early tries and the game already looking out of reach. But we had come back from behind before in 2017, to beat the same side in a thrilling game at Spencer Smith. But it wasn’t to be our day, and we went on to lose the game 15 to nought. Highly disappointed with our efforts we were determined to undo that defeat. We played Brackenfell in their festival, on the Saturday of our Matric Dance. We had another slow start, but our fitness and conditioning superiority paid dividends. Quick, well built and snazzy rugby saw us defeat the Brackenfell side 49 to nought.

We had built a good platform for Grey but our fixture against them wasn’t to be. The announcement of the closing of schools and the implementation of lockdown halted our promising season. But understanding the seriousness of Covid 19 and the many lives lost, as a result, I found peace in the short stint we had as a group. The reality of the disease only really kicked in when I saw the situation of many in my community. Sometimes we think we have it particularly bad, but many have it even worse. Violence in the community escalated, and the unknown reality crippled many families in my community. Financial difficulties and social difficulties were brought to light, and my only hope was that the youth could still be able to attend school as school is for many an escape from the gruelling reality back home. But SACS played their role in ensuring we aren’t left behind. Online classes began on Zoom and Google Meets platforms where English Literature, History, Mathematics and Accounting were taught. I received great support from my English teacher, whom I had built a great relationship with over the years. And as beneficial as the online systems were, it still didn’t emulate a classroom environment or mimick the same focus and space to engage in the subject. Home situations vary, and the systems only exposed the great gap of privilege in our society. Many of my peers got along well if not better, but having chatted to friends who lived in areas like Khayelitsha, Gugulethu and Langa, a common pattern appeared: working space.

The Matric Dance was one of the highlights of the year. It was hosted at Kelvin Grove in Claremont, with all the boys arriving in their suits and ties and beautiful dates. I was fortunate enough to be chauffeured by my retired history teacher Mr Guiney. My date was my best friend, Thabi and she looked breathtaking. Upon arrival, our headmaster shook our hands and wished us a great night. The setting was impeccable, a pure white draping and spiral staircase stole the show. The night was warm and promising, and many thanks go out to Mrs Dawson who organized my suit and covered the costs and to Mr Guiney for the selflessness of taking us to the venue in a classic 1960s turquoise car (forgive me, I wasn’t too sure which car it was as it is before my years).

But all in all, the year 2020 was for many an unexpected change in our lives. We have adjusted to the norm and have come together as a family more than ever. I hope this year has brought you more and more close with yourself, but more importantly your family. And in closing, the past 5 years have been nothing short of magical. I have grown as a person, have been able to see the world in a different light and have been afforded the best of opportunities to attend a school I know you all have a special place in your heart for. SACS is now my alma mater, my home. Many many thanks go out to you guys, the SACS 1969 Trust as a whole for allowing me this opportunity. A young boy coming out of a community where you are stereotyped and the hopes of a bright future diminished, you have offered me the best of journeys and start in my young life. To Tessa, Ma’m I am forever grateful. I hold great respect for you as you have shown that motherly love to me. I will miss the trips to BP for a quick snack, the text messages of good luck for every paper I write and for always ensuring that I was comfortable and happy. Thank you. Your work doesn’t go unnoticed.

With love and great, great thanks
Hlumelo Ntweni
SACS Matric 2020

Humelo’s Farewell

A Farewell Lunch was held for Melo on writing his Matric.

Melo has been accepted for a Soc Sci at UWC for 2021 and is awaiting
outcomes for B Com and also for UCT.

Enos, Tessa and Melo.
Enos is Melo’s Friend, a Fellow 1st Team Rugby Player, a John Ince Scholar for the last five years and is off to the Sharks Academy in 2021.

Tessa is our Mentor.

Peter, Enos, Melo and Dirk Kemp

The weird world of Covid-19

Hi Everyone

Just thought I would give you all a quick catch up on Hlumelo and how he is coping. He is well and happy and is on lockdown in his home in Joe Slovo Park, Milnerton, with his mom and sister. His brother Lusanda remained in America for lockdown where he has been working. Melo is, of course, missing his rugby terribly but he has kept fit with exercises and of course, can at least go for a run now in the mornings now that we are on level 4. We have talked through his deep disappointment about the school rugby season that went up in flames with lockdown but he is philosophical about it and tends to look at all the positives instead (at least SACS managed to have their matric dance – other schools have had to cancel!)

Melo has been keeping up with all his schoolwork provided by SACS but felt he needed some help with Maths so I organised online lessons with Heather Race, the Maths teacher I had arranged to take the place of Gill Gull who retired last year. Heather lives a stone’s throw from SACS and was due to start lessons with Melo on Tuesday 17 March. But unfortunately, the SACS hostel was closed rather suddenly on 16 March due to Covid-19 and everyone sent home so the lesson did not take place. We did, however, manage to have a meeting the week before so that Heather and Melo could meet each other.

Melo is enjoying the lessons and says they are a great help and have provided good understanding with problem areas. He is keeping up with his Life Science which improved hugely in the first term (by 20%!) thanks to his Life Science teacher at SACS. Some of his teachers feel he needs to make more effort in some subjects (see attached reports) but on the whole, I am fairly pleased with his Term 1 report, especially Life Science. As you all know the plan at the moment is for matrics to return to school on Monday 1 June but mid-year exams have been scrapped so he has ample time to work hard for his next exams, hopefully in September.

Thus far his family have had enough resources for food and basic necessities but I have asked him to let me know if they have problems and need help in any way.

So all is well with our SACS 1969 Trust scholar and I think we can be proud of the way he has handled all the challenges in a very strange matric year. He is looking forward to returning to school and I will keep you updated with all that happens.

Warm regards as always,

Tess

Feb 2020 Update

Starting the year with some fresh threads!

Here is Melo looking pleased as punch with his bespoke shirt – thanks so much, Brian! His message to me reads: “Fits perfectly, Ma’am Thank you so much and please send my thanks to Brian ????????????????”

2019: My Journey

A letter from Hlumelo,

Dear SACS 1969 Trust

2019 was an overwhelming year, filled with great achievements and all in all a learning curve and a humbling year.

The year started off as per normal, we received our textbooks, found out who our teachers were for our various subjects (I was a bit disappointed with the Maths teacher I got in the pecking order) and we (all the Grade 11s) were sat down in the Hofmeyr Hall and were addressed by the 2019 Prefects about our role as seniors at school and how we can be of great influence to the younger guys. This year, I didn’t really enjoy playing basketball. The lack of game time and the general vibe in the team was what made it more difficult to enjoy. I thus have decided to put my focus next year entirely on rugby.

Well speaking about rugby, this year’s rugby season was a big learning curve. During pre-season (Oct 2018 – Mar 2019) we had to attend Steve Mac, a training program focusing entirely on building strength and conditioning players so that they can perform at 1st team level. The year lying ahead of us was an exciting one, the selected 23 man squad would go to 3 tours: Saint Stithians Tour, Grahamstown Tour & WorldSchools Festival (held in Stellenbosch at Paul Roos). We understood the work we had to put in, to compete at the level of the best schools in the country. Nothing comes easy really at open level, it’s either you excel or you’re just known as a “regular player”.

The first game of the season was against Brackenfell, what the coaches would call a “warm-up game”. We beat them comfortably, & I donned the no.2 jersey starting and for the first time that day. My exploits for the 1stXV saw me get 11 starting caps, scoring 5 tries and notably being headlined in various media outlets. I did, however, spend some time playing for the 2nds, and earned 3 caps in which I scored 3 tries (two against Rondebosch). The end of season results was rather unconvincing, but next year awaits and there’s work to be done.

Academics this year were challenging. Each term requires maximum concentration and you have to juggle commitments. I struggled a bit on that side, as I’d have to dedicate 6 days of my week to rugby, but that’s something I’m working on. I did enjoy a few subjects, and my other marks reflect that. I really enjoy learning, and academics are always first when it comes to everything. I’m working on improving my marks for University application and hopefully also to manage to juggle sports and academics.

Selection for prefects was nerve-wracking. The application process went like this: everyone was allowed to apply, you had to send in your name motivating yourself for the position. 16 prefects were selected, and I was one of them. The occasion came as a surprise to me because as a young boy growing up in the township, I’d only dreamt of being in an institution such as SACS, let alone becoming a prefect. It was an emotional moment for me and my family, and one in which I will grasp with both hands.

With each year that goes by, I come to understand and come to learn of how great a position of privilege has been placed upon me by you guys. I really don’t take anything for granted. Thank you for being behind me and supporting my dream of acquiring an education at one of the best institutions in the country.

Thank you for making my dream come true. And to you Tess, I appreciate the selfless work you do behind the scenes, whether it’s making sure I have tutors for the subjects I struggle with or just taking me to BP to grab a snack, I thank you. It’s always good to reflect because you get the opportunity to show gratitude. My final year at SACS is one I want to maximize and reach my full potential. Thank you for making my journey worthwhile.

With great thanks,
Hlumelo Ntweni

At the close of 2019…

A message from Tess,

Quite suddenly (it seems!) we have come to the end of another school year. I’m not sure if you have all received Hlumelo’s report but apart from English, Afrikaans and Life Orientation, (all satisfactory for Grade 11 and above 60%) his marks were somewhat underwhelming particularly in Maths (40%) and Life Science (48%).

I have spoken to Melo briefly about his report but at the start of the new school year in January we will sit down together and discuss more thoroughly the importance of consistent effort in matric and striving towards excellence in all subjects. He needs to pay particular attention not only to Maths and Life Science but also to Accounting and History in which there were significant declines in the fourth term. I know he found Grade 11 hard and struggled to balance sport and academics but he cannot allow that to happen in matric next year. Hopefully, he can continue with his Accounting tutor, Sara Shaboodien, in 2020 and I have been in touch with a new extra Maths teacher, Fiona Heany, who could take Gill Gull’s place as she has now retired.

But there is much to praise Melo for as well – his election as a prefect, his success in rugby, his ability to be a role model to his peers and his impeccable behaviour record at SACS. The staff speak highly of him for his positive outlook and his respect for himself and for others. I have no doubt that Melo will do well in matric not only in his leadership and sporting roles, but academically too as he has the ability and the will to succeed in matric.

Please see attached his letter to all of you with thanks and a recap of his year. I have so enjoyed working with him and it remains a privilege to be a part of this young man’s life. I will continue to do my best for him in his Matric year in 2020.

Wishing you all a safe and happy holiday season and all the best for a wonderful 2020.

Hlumelo’s Speech at the Old Boys 50th Reunion

Good evening to everyone gathered here tonight, to my sponsors the SACS 1969 Old Boys Trust and to everyone who’s played a great role in me being able to attend this great institution.

I would like to share my journey here at SACS, highlighting the ups and downs and every feeling and emotion I’ve gone through while studying here. My humble journey started off at my old primary school, Ysterplaat Primary situated in Brooklyn, Milnerton where I took part in rugby and athletics, and I would go on to win “1st in class for academics” “best rugby player” and “best forward”.

Attending Ysterplaat Primary and the transition from it to SACS really made me feel blessed. I remember days when I would go through a full school day without food in my stomach because things were so tough back home. Listening in class was often difficult as there were always distractions and to see and experience how learners at SACS respect teachers and each other, and that education isn’t hampered by distractions, was one of my first enjoyments of the school.

Now funnily enough, until I drove through the SACS school gates I wasn’t quite sure which high school I was going to attend. I remember my brother waking me up one early morning and he told me to pack my stuff and prepare for camp. I was confused by this and where I was going but I was soon to receive the greatest news of my life.

I arrived here at school and met up with Mr Wepener who gave me a warm welcome and told me to join the other boys on their departure to camp. Now my first year here was probably one of my toughest yet funnest years to date. Fitting in and making friends was one of my greatest challenges, as I come from a different social and economic background from everyone else. But through sports I managed to make lifelong friends. Whenever I tell my friends about how difficult it was making friends, they find it difficult to believe me because I’ve grown into a much more confident and outspoken person. What I enjoyed the most during my first year here was the camaraderie and sense of brotherhood. Everything the school stood for: excellence, respect and brotherhood stood out.

Academically, the transition was quite difficult. The standards here at SACS well exceed those of my previous school. But I soon found my feet by sheer perseverance and dedication to my school work. I always challenge myself, always trying to learn more and more.

Sports was something I looked forward to. Being able to take part in two different sports (summer and winter) was exciting. Basketball was fun and competitive and summer was always bright and lively. I managed to play A team basketball through the age groups and made my debut for the 1st team end of last year. With the help of my coaches and teammates, my game was hugely improved. I enjoyed playing basketball and building friendships. Winter season is probably the most exciting time of the year. The long wait was over and rugby season commenced. My fondest rugby moment playing for SACS was running on in the 1STXV jersey against Wynberg. The scene was perfectly set up, a beautiful backdrop of Table Mountain, 3000 spectators getting behind their respective teams and the smell of boerie rolls ravishing around the spectacular Memorial A. We had live coverage that day from Supersport and we sure did seize the moment. We beat Wynberg in a tightly contested game 20 points to 6. I got to represent the 1STXV in 16 games, 11 of which were starting caps and scored 5 tries this season for the 1st’s and 3 for my two games in the 2ndXV.

I would like to thank you guys for giving me this amazing opportunity and platform, to study at your Alma Mater. This is an opportunity I don’t take for granted. I don’t think I would be where I am right now without the continuous support from the whole SACS 1969 Trust. Thank you, God bless and I hope my next chapter after Matric is as good and as humbling as the one I’ve built up here at SACS.

Hlumelo Ntweni
Grade 11