Best Old Boy
It is that time of the year again where the school quietens down, and the schoolboys are in anticipation for their year-end exam results. We wish them all the best and look forward to seeing the fruits of their hard work, especially the Matrics of 2021.
Die Oudskoliere-Unie (OSU) het ‘n nuwe Uitvoerende Komitee verkies wat begin November by Gustav Potgieter (1981) en die uittredende komitee oorgeneem het. Hierdie oorhandiging is die einde van Gustav se termyn van agt jaar en ons wil vir hom en sy span bedank vir hul harde werk, toewyding en bydrae tot die OSU. By die Massa-reünie is ‘n gesonde stel finansiële state ter tafel gelê wat die gesamentlike poging van daardie komitee weerspieël.
During November sixty-eight Matrics from the Class of 2021 joined the OBU as members in good standing. We also welcomed onboard new Lifetime Members from the years 1955 – 2004, from as far away as Australia. It will be one of the key objectives of the new committee to facilitate a membership drive amongst the Old Boys as the OBU can only be as strong as its membership.
We were fortunate recently to host Old Boy Sam Kawale (1994), for a visit to the School at Suidwal. He is a member of the Malawian National Assembly and is the outgoing Treasurer of the SADC Parliamentary Forum.
Several Old Boys have made their mark on the cricket field: Stephen Baard played for Namibia in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup; Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton made his ODI debut for Namibia against Oman in November; and Khanya Cotani (2018) and Ruan Terblanche (2019) were selected for the SA u19 cricket team. Well done, guys!
Oudskoliere in die media het ook baie goed presteer: Pieter-Louis Myburgh (2003) het die nasionale prys in die 2021 Vodacom Journalist of the Year Awards – Investigative los geslaan. Die OSU wens ook mede-oudskolier, Waldimar Pelser (1996), geluk met sy aanstelling as hoof van DSTV se kykNET-kanale.
Baie geluk aan Roelou Slabbert (1987), wat as die Voorsitter van die Skoolbeheerliggaam (SBL) aangewys is en PRG gaan help om sy Visie 2040-prioriteite te dryf. Die OSU sien daarna uit om saam met hom en die SBL te werk.
Special mention must be made of Canadian-based Old Boy Andries Calitz (1976), who received the degree Doctor of Engineering (DEng) honoris causa from Stellenbosch University for his pioneering work in the international energy sector.
On behalf of the OBU I would like to thank the Rugby Committee for hosting a highly successful Golf Day held at the Stellenbosch Golf Club on 18 November. This annual event, which includes Old Boys and friends of PRG, has become a highly successful fund raiser for the OBU. A big thank you to Bles Kemp (1991), his team and all our sponsors on the day.
Gedurende November is ‘n aantal Polla-gesellighede oor verskeie streke en stede gehou. Kuiers is in Somerset-Wes, Stellenbosch, Pretoria, Suid-Kaap en Noord- en Suidelike voorstede in Kaapstad gehou. Terugvoering dui aan dat die Helderberg-polla die grootste deelname gehad het. Gesellighede word vir volgende jaar in Londen en Amsterdam beplan.
There’s an old saying in the military: “rank has its privileges” and the OBU was able to host a special lunch for ‘senior’ Old Boys. Die OSU het in ‘n japtrap besluit om ‘n middagete in die Long Room van Markötter aan te bied vir die “seniors” toe Covid-regulasies dit vir ons moontlik gemaak het. Onder hierdie jaargroepe (van 1954 tot 1959) was bekendes soos Stiljan Momberg (1956), Hennie Joubert (1955), en lede van die reüniegroep van 1961.
Finally, I would like to thank all of the Old Boys who attended the Mass- and Class- Reunions in October 2021 and all of those Old Boys that continue to support us in both big and small ways – every bit counts. As an example, we recently received a £1,000 (R21 000) donation from an Old Boy based overseas to assist with bursaries for current schoolboys.
Dit was ‘n ontwrigtende jaar met vele uitdagings wat Covid-19 meegebring het en ek is seker dat die meeste van ons die jaar so gou moontlik wil afsluit. Van die OSU se kant af ‘n geseënde Kersfees aan al die Old Boys wat Kersfees vier en aan alle Old Boys ‘n voorspoedige nuwe jaar. Ons sien daarna uit om weer in 2022 met julle kontak te maak!
Vriendelike groete | Kind regards
Nils Flaatten
Voorsitter | Chairman
Oudskoliere-unie | Old Boys’ Union
