Showing 71 results

Interview with Tristan Schafer – 2010
Tristan came to St David’s in grade 0 in 1998, the year that grade 0 first started. A photo of himself and
Brendan Mitchell appeared in the local paper at the time.
On his first day he didn’t know anyone and Mrs Milne was his teacher. He remembers that Mrs Milne taught
the boys the alphabet with “Letter Land” and each week a new letter would appear on the chalk board and
one of the boys would be assigned to that letter. Tristan loved the twisty bread which he bought with
tokens and loved running around the playground and the jungle gym.
Mrs Nieman was his grade 1 teacher and he found all the teachers to be quite different, Mr Sinclair who
was extremely well read; Mrs McWilliams; Mr Thackwell an awesome English teacher; Gareth Dry who
brought a huge amount of professionalism and a completely different element to the school, Tristan was in
the choir and sang at the Linder auditorium in grade 6. He remembers the choir received a standing ovation
and also went on tour to the Drakensberg Boys Choir School. The headmaster, Rick Wilson used to come
and read to the boys regularly and his favourite story was that of “King Solomon’s Mines”.
Tristan was not a very good Soccer player but enjoyed the game and the Soccer clinics run by Willy Castle.
He got involved with Canoeing in Grade 5 and with other sport in Grade 7 and swam in the B team and A
team Water Polo until the age of 16 when he concentrated on paddling.
Tristan was an altar server for 5 years from grade 6 until grade 10, with Father Michael who was awesome
and also when Bishop Tigale came to the school. Tristan is not very religious but is a spiritual person.
Tristan connected more with the teachers in high school. In grade 9 he chose to do Business Studies but
hated it and then changed to Art with Anneke Carter, winning the Art prize 3 years in a row; Mohammed
Jena taught Maths and was an awesome teacher who gave a lot of his time and took the boys on a Maths
boot camp before matric; Gareth Kolkenbeck-Ruh was an old boy teaching English with whom you could
connect. Other teachers who stand out are Stephan Bauer and Bridget Fleming, Geography; Belinda
Marais who was kind hearted; Gareth Kolkenbek-Ruh and Gareth Dry with whom he did film study
“Shawshank Redemption“, “The Mission” and ”Tsotsi” incorporating visual arts, Music, and writing with all
art forms in one which was very creative.; Rod Smith was a cool guy, all the English teachers were good;
Simon Holderness was a great Maths teacher and rugby coach; Shane Lotter who took golf to a different
level; Will van den Berg; Dave Smith. The teachers were all there for the boys supporting a tradition which
holds the school together.
Tristan enjoyed the grade 8 camp, loved playing rugby and water polo and supported 1st team rugby. He
also enjoyed the weekly war cries practices. He still misses eating lunch at break with his pals, there was a
massive feeling of brotherhood and they all helped each other out. His best friends now are boys he got to
know in grade 0. A notable thing is that many of the boys in Tristan’s year went into diverse and
unconventional careers following their passion and included quite a few entrepreneurs. Brad Latilla-
Campbell went to Harvard, Barry Morisse studied Drama at Wits, Chaid White plays soccer for Jomo
Cosmos and Matthew Rigby studied Actuarial Science at Stellenbosch.
2010 was a great year for sport and gave something for the grade 8’s to aim for. The school needs that
kind of continuation. The negative thing that year for Tristan was that the prefects room and that privilege
was taken away and also that Chris Brown, climber who represented South Africa was not given an
honours blazer.
Canoeing or paddling was started at St David’s in 1995 by Willem van der Merwe a very kind hearted man
who helped many boys to find their niche in canoeing. Tristan went on prep and high school canoeing tours
which he found really cool and many of the boys became Springboks. In grade 10 Tristan was canoeing
captain with only 5 boys in the team but by the end of the year there were 25. Tristan firmly believes that
sport should be fun and is to be enjoyed.
Tristan became a prefect and was head of The Bishop’s with Gabriel Ally as head boy. Tristan was
awarded an honours blazer for canoeing and was a peer counsellor in grade 11. In 2010 for the first time,
all the prefects went on a camp with the grade 8’s and Francesco Mariano, head boy 2014, was Tristan’s
mentee.
After Matriculating, Tristan went onto study at Afda Film School covering acting, film and TV. He continued
to coach the school canoeing team for 3 years until Willem left. Whilst studying, Tristan won a few awards
with other students including the Ster-Kinekor Vision Mission award creating an advertisement for
disadvantaged children which he directed and wrote. Whilst on an exchange at Chapman University in the
US, Tristan was involved with a graduation film group that won pretty much all the categories.
Tristan has now started his own company “Old Soul Films” and is adopting that approach to storytelling and
is hoping to get into web advertising and web series especially in the US, Europe and the East.
Tristan was also involved in some charity work with Absa making 3 short films going into communities and
uplifting them. This included a bakery in Westbury that feeds the local children; a young artist in Alexandra
who was abused as a child; a woman from Somalia documenting her story and how life in Johannesburg
compares favourably to Somalia. He was paid for doing these films but then followed up on his own. Tristan
is also doing some pro-bono work for a girls’ orphanage in Malawi where the girls are taught sewing skills.
He will be filming a short documentary and will be involved in the building and construction of the sewing
room.
Tristan is a member of MOBS and would certainly send any sons he may father to St David’s.
JLE June 2015

Interview with Timothy Marsay – 1970
In the November of 1963 Tim moved with his 8 brothers and sisters from Leeds in the UK to South Africa,
as his father had been offered a position with Crossley Carpets as marketing manager.
Tim began his career at St David’s in 1964 aged 10 coming from a Catholic family. The family initially lived
in Fourways on a guest farm before moving to Houghton.
In those days there was an A and B stream and Tim was initially relegated to the B stream moving up to the
A stream in standard 5. It was a complete culture change with a different climate and he had to learn
another type of History and Geography plus another language, Afrikaans. Tim was third in line with six
brothers of whom 5 attended St David’s the younger one going elsewhere. Three of his brothers eventually
matriculated at De La Salle the family was then living in Ferndale.
Br Anthony (Oanges) was the headmaster and Tim remembers struggling to adapt through standard 4 until
standard 5. He participated in soccer and athletics and eventually made some friends which made life
much easier.
His teacher in standard 4 was Mrs Dunsford-White, standard 5, Mrs Kenesovich, a lovely lady but a battleaxe
and Mrs Kempster. Tim’s mother also taught at St David’s for a while. Willy Castle was age 11 in
standard 6, far too young for his class, however he had a strong personality and after his matric in 1968 he
went into the air force and repeated matric in 1970.
In the high school from standard 6 there were two classes for each standard. Tim got very involved with
running formerly a timid child in the prep school he became more confident as he achieved on the sports
field. There was a big race against Marist Observatory and although U13 he ran in the U15 mile and won
the race with his older brother Andrew coming in second. The following Monday, at assembly Br Anthony
announced his achievement which put Tim on the map. He was so successful with his running that he was
prevented from playing rugby in case he was injured. In standard 7 at an athletics meet at Jeppe wearing
borrowed spikes he was observed by a Springbok runner who advised him to rather run barefoot than in illfitting
shoes. Tim then started running at club athletics and inter-provincial events. He was bottom of the
league in club running but eventually represented the province from the age of 16 onwards and Southern
Transvaal in cross country.
He ran for Diggers an Afrikaans speaking club. This improved his Afrikaans but not quite in the way that his
teacher Mr Malan would have liked. He was called out and asked if he was mixing with Afrikaans boys and
it was pointed out to him that certain words were not quite the adjectives to be used in polite conversation!
In 1970 Tim broke the record for the 800m at 2 mins 02.3 secs and the 1500m at 4 mins 17.3 secs. These
records still stand today.
Tim didn’t enjoy cadets and used the excuse of his athletics training to get out of it.
Tim remembered that when he was in standard 6 in 1966 the boys were each given a medal by some
military persona to celebrate the fifth anniversary of Republic of South Africa. He also recalled President
Verwoed being stabbed that year.
In standard 8 a new young priest, Father Tony Bailey came to the Rosebank parish and decided to make a
facility available to the boys from St David’s and the girls from Rosebank Convent. A disco room with a
coffee bar was built as a venue. This was fantastic for the parents as well as the young people who were
dropped off on a Friday night at 6pm and collected at 10.30pm. They were in a safe and supervised
environment and many marriages subsequently followed as a result.
Academically Tim did well and achieved a first class matric he wasn’t a prefect but was vice-house captain
of The Bishops and captain of the athletics team. He was awarded an honours blazer for athletics and
studies, received scrolls for merit, studies and athletics, was a member of the senior Christian life group
and in standard 9 received a prize for Latin.
After matriculating, Tim went into the air force for a year and then went onto RAU where he received a
bursary for his first year. In his second year he was awarded a sports bursary, the first ever. He studied for
a BComm Industrial Psychology but joined his father as a holiday job and is still working for the same
company W Marsay & Sons now known as Marsay Equipment. Tim got on well with his father and enjoyed
working with him.
Tim has two sons, Michael who matriculated at St David’s in 1999 and Chris in 2003. When his son Chris
was in grade 11 and fund raising for the matric dance, Tim participated in an evening when the fathers got
together and put on a show performing stage acts including excerpts from Swan Lake, The Full Monty and
the Rocky Horror Show. They sold tables and made R70 000 in one evening. Everyone involved thoroughly
enjoyed the event and Tim recalls being thrown out of Swan Lake as he couldn’t learn the routine.
Tim is a member of MOBS and is still involved with the school.
JLE March 2014

Interview with Tim Johnson – 2003
Tim first came to St David’s from Buccleuch primary in grade 3. His sister was going to high school and the
timing was right for him to change. Tim thinks that St David’s was the only school that he and his parents
looked at. It was difficult at first as all the boys were a tightly knit group and had all started together
however he got to know Michael Thomas and he is currently still his closest friend and they have tendered
for the MOBS home together.
Tim was not really into sports but enjoyed the extra-curricular sport which helped him break the ice with the
other boys. He eventually dropped cricket and concentrated on swimming and played some soccer in the
winter. From grade 5 his swimming became full-time and he got to know Willy Castle well. The prep
swimming team was very successful and unbeaten in grades 5, 6,and 7. In grade7, Tim together with Kyle
Biller went to Germany with the Wanderers swimming club and swam in an international gala. It was a
great experience and they joined in some serious training sessions.
In the high school Tim also played rugby and thoroughly enjoyed it being a member of both A and B teams.
His main sport was still swimming which he took very seriously training both at school and after school and
made both Provincial and Senior National teams. He also was a member of the water polo team, qualified
for the Provincial team and was captain of the 1st team in matric. Sadly he missed out on the rugby tour to
Argentina having given up rugby for swimming.
Tim continued his water polo at Wits University and went to Australia representing Wits University at the
university games. He plays for MOBS and participated in the fund raiser in memory of Justin Bessler.
Of the teachers In the prep Willy Castle was an iconic figure and Tim believed that he helped push him
beyond his boundaries in terms of sport. Tim has remained close to Rick Wilson and found him to be a
genuine, sincere person. Mandy Everson was a particularly good teacher. In the high school, Rod Smith
was a real character; Debbi Cameron cared so much about the boys; Lizanne Nagy held her ground even
though the boys gave her such a hard time and Dave Smith was also a character with a good persona.
Father Brewer held Mass in the old chapel and Tim remembers kneeling on the hard wooden benches and
also that Father Brewer had a scottish terrier and Mr Van Der Merwe a border collie. Paul Edey stands out
as headmaster and as a very good History teacher. Tim thought it was his most interesting subject because
of Paul’s energy and enthusiasm. Tim left St David’s in grade 10 as he wanted to be independent; he went
to Kingswood in Grahamstown but didn’t last long. There were problems at the school but Paul accepted
him back unconditionally. After that experience Tim thought he was number one as headmaster and he
also had great respect for Malcolm Williams.
Academically Tim felt that he could have applied himself a bit more but his real passion and time was
dedicated to sport. However he was in the top class most of the time in high school with Art becoming his
favourite subject and loved the practical aspect of the subject. He was interested in and enjoyed Maths,
Annabel Cotton made Physics exciting and Dave Smith was always entertaining in Geography.
Tim became a prefect and was awarded an honours blazer, specific honours swimming and water polo and
general honours for sport, leadership and merit. He also received many awards for sport and at the annual
prize giving in 2003 was awarded the Reeves Trophy for senior swimmer of the year and the Clark Atwell
Trophy for water polo player of the year.
Special events that Tim remembers are when Marcellin Champagnat was canonised in 1999 and a huge
joint mass was held with all the other schools. His matric dance wasn’t that memorable but the fireworks
evening was, from the beginning on the most favourite evenings when the school took on a different
persona. Champagnat day was always good fun and he remembers the “tug of war” in the prep. Ash
Wednesday was also memorable and although Tim wasn’t Catholic he was exposed to religion and the
Catholic ways and tradition and found it interesting although it was never imposed upon him. Reverend
Bruce was also significant and Tim always enjoyed his lessons which always had a story or strong
message.
The mixed swimming and inter-house night galas were always great fun especially with the girls around.
Tim enjoyed the inter-house plays and always played a minor role. Inter- house events were always fun.
After matriculating, Tim went to Wits University to study BA Architecture and won the People’s Award in his
2nd year for design of a Transvaal home using steel. At the end of the third year they had to do a Gap year
and Tim spent the 1st year in Johannesburg and then went onto London for a further year. He then studied
further for another 2 years doing his BA Hons and then Masters - MArch.Prof. and his thesis focused on
Joubert Park and the Johannesburg Art Gallery.
Tim’s current employer taught him at Wits and offered him a job at her practice, Sarah Calburn Architects.
He deals in mainly residential tailor made houses for specific clients. He has also started his own company
Greenspace Studio and his aim is to be involved in medium scale social and commercial buildings.
Tim is a member of MOBS and has participated in the matric rite of passage.
JLE December 2013

Interview with Teresa Voorendyk - Staff – 1997 to date
Teresa joined the staff of St David’s in 1997 together with Dave Smith and Stuart Foulds. She was
appointed as librarian and English teacher by Paul Edey, the same position she had with her former
employer KES. She recalled being interviewed by Paul Edey, Gary Norton and the head of English, Richard
Girdwood.
In her first year she taught two English classes and MUG (media user guidance) to the grade 8’s and 9’s.
Teresa shared the library facility together with the prep school librarian, Mary Clover. With the different
teaching hours and timetables, the conditions were not ideal however she enjoyed the freedom to buy
books and encouraged her library monitors to select books within an allocated budget she set them.
Teresa eventually moved into teaching English full-time and was peripatetic for a few years until she
inherited her present classroom from Liz Sheratt.
Teresa has filled a number of roles in her time with the school being, head of English, housemistress of
Benedict, mentor to the matric group and now being head of Life Orientation, she has enthusiastically run
the long distance running activity at the school and also takes the boys on corporate relays and other runs
outside of school.
She has seen people come and go with many changes some good some not so good. She has so many
memories of events, individuals, matric groups, and the long distance runners and now some of the pupils
she taught are colleagues such as Matthew Schneider, Richard Carey and Kyle Biller. She recalls the
matric group of 2005 as being very special, they were an odd ball bunch of characters but she had a close
bond with them. She still sees some of “her” runners, many of whom have continued to compete after
leaving school.
Teresa has been very happy at St David’s. It has become a very busy school and initially she and other
colleagues were able to attend all the events and functions but now there are too many to cope with. In
1997 there were 42 boys in matric which are now 112 and with 610 in the school. Previously there was time
to talk to each other and the boys, now it is not quite the close knit community it used to be. The school is
competent in so many areas and so many things. Teresa knew not only the names of the boys she taught
but of all the boys in the high school, now there are far too many. She realises that St David’s has to move
with the times and has to compete with other schools.
Teresa prides herself on being the only high school teacher who still has a blackboard in her classroom.
This doesn’t mean that she doesn’t use technology and is not IT illiterate but she prefers the old way of
teaching.
For sometime Teresa was responsible for the school’s trophies, taking over from Father Brewer when he
became ill. This has now been taken over by Karina George and Teresa is grateful that she no longer has
to track down and ensure the return of the many trophies, ensuring they were in good condition and
engraved every year in time for prize giving.
Teresa always enjoys seeing the old boys and there are very few of whom she has negative memories.
She helped many of the boys without charge, some appreciated this and others took it for granted.
Of her colleagues she remembers Paul Edey who made people believe in themselves, he was warm and
kind and made her feel special and she valued that she mattered. Although she initially didn’t get on with
him, she ended up teaching grade 10’s with Rod Smith and he was immensely supportive when she was
made housemaster. She regards Willy Castle as very special and she would run through a brick wall for
him. During her bleakest year in 2005, he encouraged her to run the Comrades marathon and she hasn’t
looked back since. He has been her mentor, friend, running partner and has the ability to make people
believe in themselves.
Teresa has changed direction in her career and is happy to remain at St David’s until she retires; she
regards St David’s as her home. St David’s is a special place and the pride and tradition doesn’t just belong
to the men and the boys and old boys. She was greatly affected by the “bus incident” and how it impacted
on the school and finds it difficult to understand the mentality of the matrics and their expectations of how
they want to treat the grade 8’s.
Teresa believes that the school needs staff that understands and relate to what the staff actually do here
and are prepared to contribute. One has to believe in what one is doing and that not every day is going to
be fun.
JLE February 2014

Interview with Terence K. Lavery -1967 aka – T
Years attended Marist Inanda – 1956 -1967 – Matriculated 1967
My oldest brother Rory (1965) and I carpooled from Emerentia Ext. with Kevin & Johnny Peel
from 1956 – 1965. In 1966 & 1967 I boarded at Marist InandaThere really were not any pros to
being a day boy, it was what it was and we didn’t know anything else and I did feel sorry for the
boarders that had to remain at school over the week-ends but sports and activities made the
week-end go by quickly.The cons to being a day boy for the Lavery’s & Peel’s were that we had
to get up rather early to execute the carpool and that we were dropped off early, usually 1 to 1-
1/2 hours before school started (until standard 7, when they implemented a new period that
started @ 7:45am) and we were picked up 5:00pm to go home. This made an extremely long
day, especially in the early years. Special arrangements had to be made when we were let out
of class early and many times we had to wait until 5:00pm to be picked up. The other con was
that we did not get to play or know the children in our neighborhood, since we arrived home so
late.
The pros to being a boarder, especially in standard 9 & matric was the structured day, study
hall, rosary, chapel, meals and bedtime. Boarding (and the military service) taught you to eat
anything and everything otherwise you went hungry. You became better friends to your
boarding classmates.
The cons were the limited access to radio music (a form of broad punishment) and news
papers. In hind sight I missed a lot of music influences in 1966 & 1967 and world and local news
events (Sharpsville riots) that influence and mold teenagers in that age bracket. This really
showed up when I was attending the University of Washington in Seattle, WA 1970-1974.
My 1st day is still a vivid memory, very apprehensive but not like some others that day as I was a
3rd sibling and my oldest brother Rory already attended Marist Inanda. My mother walking me
into the courtyard of the grade school, on the way to Mrs. Bricks classroom when she spotted
another mom and son next to us walking in the same direction, she grabs his arm and asks
“what your name? – Robert Ashby he replies – good, this is Terence Lavery, you are now
friends.” Robert and 11 other boys walking to Mrs. Brick’s classroom that day matriculated
together in 1967.
My last formal day before matric exams began consisted of short time in the classroom followed
by Joe Stravino, Johnny Astrup and I (only 3 matric boys with cars) deciding to race our cars
around the cinder athletic track, NASCAR style early years, sliding around 3 corners (track had
3 legs of cinder and 1 of glass) completing 1 lap and after 2 additional corners finding Br.
Anthony standing squarely in the middle of the track, hands on his hips causing us to come to a
screeching stop. When each of us exited the track onto the road he asked us “What are you
doing? I’m not going to let you take the final exams.” We went to his office to beg for
forgiveness, and permission to be allowed to take the exams.
I cannot remember the theme of the matric dance but I do remember that the standard 9’s had
done an excellent job of decorating the dining hall and that Susan Davey and I had a wonderful
time. I also remember that my sister Trisha, who attended Holy Cross Convent, helped set up
Joe Stravino with Zenda Lutz and Derrick Schoombie with his date for that night and that they
both of them married their dates that night later in life.
I enjoyed the all boys’ school, the uniforms, the small class room sizes, the brothers, the lay
teachers, the discipline, the friendships, ethnic diversity and the athletic fields, the requirement
to participate in a sport every season.
The aspects I least enjoyed were wearing ties on a hot summer day, caning the entire class for
an infraction by one student, competing against larger schools in sports – KES, Parktown Boys
and Marist Obs and getting crushed. But the passage of time, the 46 years, has diminished the
majority of dislikes.
The Marist Centennial celebration in 1966 with 3 bus loads of students travelling down to St
Joseph in Rondebosch, Cape Town was memorable in more ways than one. Best left
unspoken.
The worst moments at school, in my experience, comprised of the strict and severe disciplinary
measures metered out by the brothers. I recall my 1st caning in grade 2 and my last episode 1
week before I matriculated. But the most memorable was a severe dose metered out by Brother
Andrew one morning in 1st period standard 8 because the entire class was were talking and not
studying as instructed. The entire class was marched out single file to an empty class room and
individually brought back for 4 strokes with the cane. When it was my turn Brother Andrew, who
was left handed, seemed to dispense the strokes with extra vigor and on my return to the class
room I felt blood dripping down my buttocks. Being macho and amongst peers you did not show
any sign of pain or crying and were usually laughing out of pain. I let my peers know that I
believe I was bleeding and was called upon to prove it. I dropped my pant to display the
bleeding to all in attendance, only to have Brother Andrew enter the class room to see me with
my pant around my ankles. “Lavery - What are you doing? Do you want 4 more?” When I turned
around to face him he noticed the blood streaming down my leg and his jaw dropped in surprise,
his eyes got bigger and he mumbled “Get dressed!” and left the class room.
As an epilogue to the above story I do not feel that any of the discipline I received was
undeserving or malicious in nature and it never affected me mentally or physically. I never
notified my parents of any incidents because my father was an old Marist Observatory boarder
from grade 1 to matric (1933) and he would have supplemented the punishment. He too was a
strict disciplinarian.Unfortunately time has erased the funny/amusing incidents but I sure if I
were to attend a class reunion my recollections would be rekindled.Once again, unfortunately
time has erased the names and faces of the teachers but the following 3 were clearly influential
in my development. Brother Anthony, Brother Andrew & Brother Timothy come to mind.I was a
prefect but didn’t receive any special awards other than for athletics.
I played all sports at Marist Inanda at that time 1956  1960 swimming, tennis, athletics and
soccer.
1961  1967 – I participated in swimming and water polo team, cricket, tennis, field hockey,
soccer and athletics. We did not attend or have any camps available to us. In all sports I was on
the 1ST Team except cricket which I did not participate in. From 1965 as I was playing baseball
for the Pirates Club and the 1967 1st XV rugby teams as I was training for the Springboks
European tour 1967.I competed for the Southern Transvaal athletics teams from 1964 – 1968 in
all provincial competitions and South African championships and was selected as a Junior
Springbok to compete against Germany 1966 in Bloemfontein, OFS and to tour with the Senior
Springbok team for 4 weeks in Europe July 1967. I still hold 4 South African records in the 100
yards, 220 yards, 220 low hurdles & 440 yards in the U-17 age group.I was selected to attend
the South African Air Force in Valhalla and after my service was completed was given a bursary
to attend Stellenbosch University. I toured with the University of Stellenbosch athletics’ team in
1969 in Rhodesia.
In 1970 at the advice of a mentor, rather than attend the University of Stellenbosch, I applied for
athletics’ scholarships to 14 different USA universities in western or southern states. I accepted
an athletics’ (track) scholarship to the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington State. I
chose to study Business Administration and graduated in December 1974 with a Bachelor of
Science degree in Business Administration with a minor in marketing. In 1975 I attended Wits
University MBA program which I did not complete as I returned to USA in August 1975.
In order to return to the USA on a working permit I was offered a job as an outside Industrial
salesman for a plumbing, commercial and pipe, valves and fittings distribution company in
Seattle, WA. I have been employed there for 38 years and hold the position of national account
manager for The Boeing Company. In this position I administer the support to Boeing for its
ground assembly facilities across the USA, supporting Boeing’s locations in the Puget Sound,
Portland, OR, Southern California, Mesa, AZ, Salt Lake City, UT, St. Louis, MO, El Paso, TX,
San Antonio TX, Philadelphia, PA and Charleston, SC. In 1988 my company Familian
Northwest, Inc was sold to an English company Wolseley, PLC. Which today is the world’s
largest distributor of plumbing, commercial plumbing and pipe, valves and fittings in the world
and USA.
Since I was out of the country I had none of my 3 children attend St. David’s, Marist, Inanda.The
last time I visited St. David’s was in January 2002.
The story I recollect regarding the sports field north (?) of the school is as follows – I believe the
50 acres of property were donated to the school in 1965 +/- and that our students were granted
access to a usually prohibited piece of property for the 1st time. The newly assembled marching
band members use it to practice their bugles and kettle drum music and some members of the
1st VX rugby teams chopped some of the trees down as strength training. Then they started to
bulldoze the lower area for rugby fields and after months of work with large earth moving
equipment the fields had their final shape. I remember that Brother Anthony hire a water
dowsing expert to locate an underground stream or water source and that Brother Andrew, who
maintained the cinder track and cricket pitches, showed us how by using willow branch we
could confirm the location of the water. This is where Mr. Simaan enters the picture, Br. Andrew
was tasked with planting the grass on the newly bull dozed fields, he would allow a selected few
Std 9 & 10 students out during the evening study hall to walk with him as he survey this
monumental task. I’m not sure how this transpired but in short time George Da Matta offered his
father’s flat bed produce truck to Br. Andrew and that a number of us students went over to Mr
Simaans property the following week-end, armed with picks, shovels and pitch forks to harvest
the kikuyu grass that surrounded his property. We returned with a truck load of kikuyu starts that
were subsequently planted in rows starting in the corner closest to the road between the shed
and the property. George Da Matta, Dave Palmer and others that grew up on farms, knew how
to operate the tractor and plow and they hoed perfect rows for us to plant the kikuyu starts. We
did this in the evenings after the african workers had completed their work during the day.
JLE June 2013

Interview with Temba Bavuma – 2007
Temba moved from Cape Town to Johannesburg with his parents in 2003 and first went to Fourways High
School joining St David’s in grade 10 when he was awarded a sports scholarship to play cricket. He was
spotted by Shane Gaffney and Roger Budd at a regional U15 cricket week.
At first he found the school rather intimidating and didn’t know quite what to expect as a co-ed school is run
somewhat differently. He made friends easily especially with his sporting background being involved with
rugby, soccer, cricket and cross-country.
Temba was awarded colours for soccer and cricket but didn’t play in an open year. He played for the A or
1st team in all the sports in which he participated and at one time soccer was his first love before cricket. He
struggled in the first few years but represented Gauteng U19 cricket. Initially he was going to study at UCT
having gained 3 distinctions in matric but he stayed on at St David’s and completed a post-matric year
which qualified him to play for SA Schools. It was a very tough year having to come back to school in
uniform and repeating matric subjects again. However, it did make him mentally stronger as an individual
and from a cricketing point of view.
Temba enjoyed the brotherhood at the school with a tight relationship amongst the guys especially in rugby
and cricket.
Temba did struggle with all the discipline and school regulations and those parameters but, with hindsight
he now appreciates it. He found all the teachers to be different and he could relate to them. Mr Ireland
didn’t show much emotion presenting a tough facade but Temba enjoyed him. Mrs Deetlefs had a vibrant
nature and always engaged with the students and Ms Cambitzis tried to break the student, teacher barrier.
Temba feels he owes a lot to Shane Gaffney who gave him the opportunity to succeed and contributed
greatly to enable Temba to get to where he finds himself now. Shane was very strict but tried to get the
best out of him and the other boys.Temba also had a good relationship with Amarinda Binder who helped
him a lot.
One unfortunate incident which stands took place during his grade 11 year when Sello M........... lost his
soccer boots and assumed that Temba had them. Sello took Temba’s school and cricket bag in revenge
which meant that Temba couldn’t do his homework or attend cricket training. This was a disaster for
Temba.
Temba went on school tours to Maritzburg and was involved in the St Albans tournament for cricket and
with soccer went to Kloof High and Durban, and played rugby in Bloemfontein at Gray’s College and St
Peter’s.Temba remembers that before his matric dance he was playing cricket all day and wondered if he
would ever make it.
The friendships he made at school he will always cherish and he remembers in particular Sabelo Sithebe,
head boy whom everyone respected, he was inspiring.
Temba matriculated in 2007 and 2008 with Accounting, Biology, Zulu, English, Business Economics and
Mathematics. He admits that his focus was not on marks but on cricket and was fortunate to play SA
Schools and for the SA U19 team, memories which he will cherish forever.
Temba appreciated the support he was given by being at St David’s, the way the school was run with its
systems and structure which enabled him to become the person he is today. It shaped him and encouraged
him. The values and principles the school instilled in him whilst he was there. The biggest thing wasn’t
about academics but how to be a man amongst other men. Comfortare Esto Vir: Take courage and be a
man.
In 2009 Temba enrolled at University of Johannesburg to study for BComm Finance. He finished the first
year but dropped out in the second due to his cricket commitments, enrolled at Unisa and finished his
degree in June 2014. He found it difficult to study and play sport. It was hard to find the energy after a
tough days training to apply himself to his studies. At the moment he is focused on his cricketing career and
a coaching facility at St David’s which he hopes will start at the end of March. He will be touring India and
Bangladesh during the winter.
Temba is now receiving information from MOBS and hopes to get more involved in future.
JLE February 2015

Interview with Sabelo Sithebe – 2005
Sabelo’s mother was determined that Sabelo be a pupil at St David’s and went in everyday to
the admissions department with this objective in mind.
Sabelo remembers his first day at St David’s in the old grade 0 block. He watched Andrew Prior
and Kyle Burger playing cricket, the first time he had seen the game played and joined in. His
teacher was Mrs Tyack and he made life-long friends that day. The head of the prep was Greg
Royce followed by Rick Wilson who built on the merit system which motivated many of the
young prep school boys and changed the mind set of many. He was a father figure who
interacted with the boys well and was always fair. He remembers Mrs Hurley, Mrs Rose who
pushed him with his reading and to achieve, Mrs Geldenhuys whose approach to Maths was
invaluable.
In the high school Paul Edey was headmaster and the teachers he particularly remembers are
Mrs Marais, Mrs Roman, who struck a good balance, being caring and tender but also strong
enough to control a class. Mr Van Den Berg taught him to enjoy Accounting and the atmosphere
he created. Great teachers had good balance and knew which buttons to press at the right time.
Sabelo feels that it’s not the buildings at St David’s but the people who make the school.
The school grew enormously whilst he was a pupil with the building of the Champagnat hall,
high school pavilion and library.
For Sabelo, school was a huge part of his life and he participated in sport in all the three terms
playing tennis, cricket, football, rugby, athletics and swimming. He learnt to swim in grade 6, as
Willy Castle took no excuses and said “you will swim”. Willy Castle was a father figure to all the
boys who were initially afraid and in awe of him. Willy pushed you to be better than yourself and
had a great influence on many of the boys. Sabelo thought the sport was fantastic and the way
in which it helped develop ones character. He was a member of the 1st team football, 1st team
rugby and also did a lot of running. The rugby was tough in the beginning, building bonds,
relationships with fellow soldiers, and believes that’s why rugby is important at a boy’s school,
Sabelo said it wasn’t the same at university, at school every Saturday was special. He recalled
the Johnny Waite victory over schools such as St John’s and learning that even being a small
school they could still achieve a lot.
He felt that there was a lovely balance of academics and sport as school is also about people
development, building young men who participate in society using the Marcellin and Marist
ideals with modesty. Those traditions were instilled in the junior primary with highlights such as
the football tour to East London. The 1st team were in their special kit and everyone played hard
to ensure they upheld the tradition and values of the school. In the high school going to St
Andrews, Bloemfontein was always great.
The camps were sometimes controversial with his grade 9 and 10 year camps being held in
appalling conditions with particularly bad weather. However the grade 11 camp held under the
same conditions went very well. He really hated the camps but really enjoyed that one.
Sabelo participated in the SMILE programme, performed in three school musicals produced by
Mr Dry, and remembers Nelson Mandela coming to watch “West Side Story”. He was also a
member of the school choir in grade 11 and matric.
Sabelo looked up to some of the older boys such as Jason Simaan, Robert Smith, Gareth
Kolkenbeck-Ruh, Bevan Winderly, boys he saw achieving and wanted to emulate them. They
were setting the standard achieving not just for themselves but also for the school.
On becoming head boy, Sabelo knew he would be amongst a group of individuals who would
help him. It was a phenomenal experience and also quite overwhelming being one of a line of
leaders of men such as Mike Von Guilliame, Gareth Kolkenbek-Ruh and Robert Stuart.
Academically Sabelo did very well and was in the top 15 when he matriculated with 7
distinctions. His last day was surreal and emotional and he is very much a product of St David’s.
He went to Wits and studied for a BA Accounting Science until 2009 and then went onto
Investec to write his articles and, having passed the exams, being the first overall in the country
and will start practising as an accountant in November 2012.
JE 2012

Interview with Robin Smith – Board and Foundation 2001 to date
Robin and Alison’s sons, Alastair and Stuart attended St David’s with Alastair enrolling in grade 0 in 1997,
matriculating in 2009 and Stuart staring in grade OO in 2000 and matriculating in 2012. Having attended a
Catholic school, CBC in Kimberly, Robin wanted his sons to have a similar religious based education. The
family home was nearby in Atholl and Robin’s uncle, Br Hugh Smith was Brother Provincial of CBC in
South Africa.
Robin and Alison were always very involved parents and Robin was invited to join the board of governors in

2001. Paul Edey was then the headmaster of the high school and Rick Wilson of the preparatory school.
      Tony Reilly, who had been a classmate of Robin’s at CBC, had taken over as chairman of the board
      following Kevin Brewer. Robin’s initial portfolio was that of finance with the aim of improving the financial
      systems within the school. In 2004 he then took over the development portfolio from Kevin Brewer,
      launching into a very strong development phase at St David’s.
      The development progressed in several stages with the junior school pavilion being the first rather
      controversial project. Robin, together with the support and assistance of Willy Castle planned and
      developed the facility. They did this “asking for forgiveness not permission” from the brothers. It was a
      success and a great improvement.
      The Design and Technology centre followed together with the senior Art room and then the Music centre.
      In 2006 the Astro was built, the grounds, parking facilities, both “Thatches”, signage and the main entrance
      had a much needed revamp. A new workshop was built and cricket nets built into the bank on the main
      field.
      The chapel was next with two years in the planning with many people wishing to give their input. After much
      discussion and planning, together, with the new junior school Art facility the chapel was completed in 2007.
      The brothers and Rome became progressively more supportive as the board had shown they could handle
      major projects within the time projections and most importantly budgetary requirements. Kevin Brewer, who
      was then on the Marist Schools Council, was a great help in this regard, and was very supportive of the
      accelerated development.
      There was a lull in the development activity in 2008, followed in 2009 with the design, planning and
      construction from scratch of the staff housing project and the grade 1 and 2 classroom block was extended.
      Robin was involved with the planning of the Brother Anthony wing but didn’t run the project as he was by
      then involved with the Foundation.
      The Foundation was established in 2005 and launched in 2006 with Thierry Dalais as its first chairman.
      Robin as chairman of the board of governors was automatically a trustee of the Foundation and eventually
      took over as chairman from 2011 to date. Robin was the longest standing member of the board having
      served for three consecutive terms of three years.
      Robin wished to emphasise that from the initial renovations of the junior school pavilion to current
      developments, Willy Castle has always been very supportive, having a hand in every project and has
      proven to be very practical and very helpful.
      Current projects on the drawing board include the proposed new cricket pavilion on the main oval with the
      drawings and design completed. The Marist old boys facility and sports centre has become a Foundation
      project with the date of completion being set for 2016 in time for the 75th anniversary of St David’s. Robin is
      very involved but is focused on getting the right people on board moving forward with the Foundation.
      JLE May 2014

Interview with Rick Wilson – Staff 1996 to date
Rick was appointed headmaster of the preparatory school in 1996, prior to this he had lived in
Botswana for 11 years and before that taught at St Stithians. The reason for leaving Botswana
was that his two young sons needed to go to high school and there was nothing suitable in
Botswana.
Rick didn’t warm to the architecture of St David’s, finding the face brick too Victorian but he
came to love it over the years and in every subsequent project a great deal of effort has been
made to match the existing style. His first assembly was held in the old hall where now the high
school library is. Fairly apprehensive, coming from a very rural and multi-racial environment he
introduced himself to the 350 boys, as they sat on the floor. He talked to them about himself and
his life and how he played in a rock band during his teens. He appeared to have broken the ice
and quickly won the boys over.
As St David’s lacked a suitable large facility, the first speech night was held down at the pool
with the lectern and dignitaries lined up by the baby pool and the boys and parents on the
grandstands. As Rick began his speech, three Egyptian geese flew in and landed in the pool –
Rick jokingly said that his reputation as a good speaker had gone before him and had even
attracted the geese to come and listen to him.
Rick recalls that he was handed the keys to his tiny office in the grade 1 block, now occupied by
a therapist. He saw a cricket clinic in progress on the playing fields and decided to take a look.
As he walked over he was conscious of fierce scrutiny by a short bearded man. He introduced
himself to a suspicious Willy Castle. It took Willy two to three weeks before he had weighed Rick
up and didn’t venture to offer anything in the way of help until he had accepted him as the
newhHead.
Over the years a strong friendship has developed between them. Rick originally lived in the
house next to Willem, the estate manager and one day he and Gerry, his wife were sitting
outside when they heard the most terrible noise which turned out to be Willy and his wife Linda
revving the engine of Willy’s pride and joy, a V6 combi. They had come to fetch them to go and
eat pizza at Panerotti’s which had a special every Tuesday. Both Rick and Willy love garlic so
their pizzas looked rather like a snowstorm of garlic had landed. Afterwards they would then go
and buy sweets at a local sweet shop with Willy buying a huge bag to satisfy his sweet tooth.
On another occasion Rick had decided to go and fetch a video but, on reaching the main gate
realised he had left his wallet behind, he turned around and went back home where he ran
inside leaving his car engine running. He returned to find his car had disappeared; He had
heard of the car theft in Johannesburg but couldn’t believe this was happening to him. He went
in search of his car only to find Willy and Linda sitting on the bonnet of his car grinning from ear
to ear. Another time his prepared Weber braie disappeared only to find it behind the library
where Willy had hidden it.
Rick recalled another rather sad occasion when late at night Willy came knocking on his door
begging Rick to confess that he had stolen his beloved combi. Willy had gone to mass at
Rosebank, parked the combi only to come back and find it gone. This time it had been stolen
and Rick was absolved of seeking revenge.
In 1996 Rick and Paul Edey in consultation with the then chairman of the board, Terence
Wilkinson, then CEO of the Lonhro Group, formulated a rigorous development plan . The school
needed to modernise if it was to become a leading role player in the northern suburbs. The
facilities needed to improve and technology needed to be embraced going forward. In 1997
together with Kevin Brewer and the board the development plan commenced with a grand plan
of all the things that were required to improve the school including a new hall, classrooms, D &
T and IT centres. First came the classroom block to the left of the hall followed by the hall which
was built on the site of the old basketball court. Rick and Paul visited many school halls in
Johannesburg before consulting with the architects. One thing Rick was determined to
incorporate was a steeped or sloping balcony which would afford everyone a view of the stage
together with underground storage. The IT department had been started by Steve Eilertson and
was originally located in a long thin corridor with 10 state of the art 486 machines, which were
totally inadequate. Aware of Rick’s desire to upgrade the technology, the parents started a
petition to the board in support of their headmaster. He undertook three feasibility and
justification studies which was accepted, Jean Rodell was appointed head of IT for the prep
school and the fibre optic backbone installed.
The grade 0 classrooms were where the current IT department is and their playground where
the after-care is now located. Rick’s plan was to initiate two grade 00 classes and house them
together with three grade 0’s in a separate building, The pre-school block eventually followed
and the grade 0 classrooms were converted into our current computer classrooms.
When Rick first arrived the high school pavilion was an asbestos shed with no change rooms
and the boys were forced to change in the open in full view of some admiring mothers!. Rick
had built a state of the art D&T and IT centre at his school in Botswana and was determined St
David’s should have the same. He put together a justification for a D & T centre which was
approved by the board. Darryl Webb, deputy prep headmaster was given the job of overseeing
the project together with the new Music centre and high school Art centre.
Parents at St David’s have been extraordinarily generous with their donations and Rick was
never afraid to approach parents on behalf of struggling families for financial assistance when
needed. One parent who was leaving the country gave a donation of R2 million which with his
approval was used to build and refurbish the prep and high school libraries. When the hall was
built there wasn’t enough funding for a clock or stained glass windows for the tower. Rick
requested help via the school newsletter and the money came pouring in. There have been
some extremely kind benefactors who wish to remain anonymous.
Rick’s relationship with Paul Edey was an exceptionally good one and they used to spark each
other off. He enjoyed working together with him on much of the early development. He found
Paul to be an inspirational influence in his life.
Rick also feels that he has been blessed during his seventeen years with a stable, happy and
settled staff. This has been a source of great strength in the prep school with teachers who have
bought into the Marist philosophy resulting in the grade 7 boys being fully prepared for the
challenges of high school. The power of Marist cannot be underestimated and Rick also
believes strongly in the circle of contentment whereby, if the teachers are happy - then so are
the boys and if the boys are happy then so are the parents. Usually about 8 to 12 grade 7 boys
leave the school. Some win scholarships to prestigious boarding schools whilst some boys are
victims of the “Spud effect”. Rick always follows up on these boys and they always do
exceptionally well in their new schools having been given the foundation by St David’s prep
Rick believes he has been the longest serving headmaster at St David’s and, when he retires at
the end of 2013 will have served the school for 17 years and he observes that with the
exception of one year he has seen a new building development each year.
One of the aspects of his time at the school, which he values highly, is the role he has played in
staff development especially with interns. Many teachers have gone on to be heads or deputies
of other schools of which he is justifiably proud.
JLE January 2013

Interview with Renzo Brocco – 1963
Renzo has an unusual family history and connection with Marist Inanda and it was for only one
year since its inception that a member of the family was not at the school. His father was a pupil
at Koch Street. (His aunt Myra Barale has a family tree) Renzo’s uncle, Stan Barale was the first
head boy and his brother Frank Barale was also a pupil at the school. Other uncles, Ronnie and
Cecil Morgan attended the school and the latter became a brother only to leave the brotherhood
later.
Other relations who are old boys are Harold Morgan, Kevin, John and Michael Peel – first
cousins; Michael and Sean Hackner – his sister’s sons, Ricardo – Renzo’s son (2002) and
Truda with Paul Truda being on the PTA.
When Renzo came to St David’s, Brother Edwin was the head followed by Brother Anthony. It
was a marvellous period in the school’s history and he enjoyed boarding for the last 18 months
of his school career and regretted not being a boarder for all his school life. Religion played an
important role in school life.
One of his schoolmates, Francis Gerard, lived next to the school and, in standards 5 and 6
some of the boys would go to his house during break and play darts. One day they didn’t hear
the bell and were caught by Brother Anthony who gave six of the best and warned them that
they would never become prefects, even though some of them eventually did.
Another brother who took them for woodwork was deaf and the boys used the opportunity to
ignore the bell, were then late for class and all of them got a whacking.
He remembers his first day, his father took him to school in his builder’s truck. He had with him
a little suitcase which he still has. As he was always fetched late in the day, Renzo used to play
with the boarders after school. He lived in Highlands North and used to get a lift to school with
Mrs Brick.
On the academic front, he was a member of the debating society and passed his matric. He was
deputy head boy to Derek Mandy together with Gerrit Hartman.
He played 1st team rugby, cricket, tennis and hockey. In those days they had to go to Ellis Park
to play tennis and there were no rugby or other coaches, the brothers took them right through.
He was a champion in the high jump and a member of the swimming team. A highlight of school
life was to play in the Marist rugby and cricket festivals with all six Marist schools getting
together at a different school each year. From there a Marist side was selected. He was
fortunate enough to attend three cricket festivals in Cape Town, St Joseph’s, Walmer, PE and
St Charles in Natal.
The teachers he remembers were Mrs Martin, Mrs Brick, Mrs Kempster, Mr Bishop in the prep.
Old boys he is in touch with include John Keene (63) curator of the war museum, Gerrit
Hartman, Gordon Slabbert, Edo Foly who did a lot of advertising for the school and Brother
Anthony.
The matric dance was held in the dining room (now the Library) and they wore their school
blazers. He remembers his first dance in standard 8 when he didn’t have a partner and, instead
took his sister. The last matric dance was nowhere near the splendour and extravagance of
today and the canteen did the catering. It was an important occasion as all the scrolls were
handed out.
He cannot remember much about his last day but perhaps relief that it was all over not realising
that in six months he would be missing school like mad. He enjoyed school especially boarding,
the sport and the brothers (“Crows”) who he feared but loved towards the end.
It was the time of the “Beatles”. He went to Wits, studied for a BCom and started a band and
played at most of the school dances, they were called “The Visitors”. He opened a couple of
steak houses and “Thunder Gun” in Blackheath is still going strong. He eventually went into the
building business as his father needed him and has been involved ever since. He undertakes
work for Avis, Barlows, BP and is now also taking on smaller contracts.
Renzo’s son is now teaching at a school for autistic children in London. After completing his
studies at Rhodes he was offered a position at St Andrews the same year that Paul Edey
became headmaster there.
Renzo was chairman of the PTA and of the old boys association for a time, and every year they
used to organise dance, gaming and stag evenings. One year they had a stag evening with
Eddie Eckstein (Obs) and Deoz Richardson (Walmer) for about 350 people, but sadly all this
petered out. Many of the old boys used to play for the Maristonian club after leaving school
JE October 2011
Additional information –
Marist Brothers St David’s
Stan Barale first head boy in 1948
Harol Morgan started in 1942 – 1948
Ronal Morgan started in Std 1 1948 – 1958 – was a Brother 12 years including St David’s in
1970 as Bursar
Frank Barale started in 1944-1954
Lorenzo Brocco started in 1952-1963
Eric Ambrosioni 1954-1966
Kevin Peel 1954 – 1966 1st cousin to Renzo
John Peel 1967 – 1978 1st cousin to Renzo
Michael Peel 1967 –1978
Anton Barale 1981 – 1985
Sean Hackner 1985 – 1990
Ricardo Brocco 1989 – 2003
Sebastian Truda 2007 –
Leonardo Truda 2009 –
Nikola Truda 2011 –
William Biddulph 2015 -

Interview with Reinhard Hartmann – 1980 and Robert Hartmann – 1981
Reinhard came to St David’s in 1968 and specifically remembered the fountain at the entrance to the prep
school. He recalled being told by Mrs Kempster, who was quite a tough cookie, to put his cap on, as he
hadn’t been to a nursery school he had no experience of a formal environment.
There were still boarders at the school when he and his brother Robert initially started. Reinhard
remembered the swimming pool, science block and Mr Chipolat the Science teacher. He thoroughly
enjoyed standard 9. Br Timothy used to flick his fingers and say “Office! Boy!”. Robert has fond memories
of Heather Joseph who taught both himself and his younger brother Roland, Art. Br Bernard was the rugby
coach who would get the boys into a huddle saying their “Hail Mary’s” and then tell them to “Go Kill ‘em!”.
He was a good sculptor and photographer. They both remembered learning History by rote which made it
incredibly boring.
Reinhard felt that Trudy Elliot had the biggest influence on his life at St David’s, she was one of those
teachers who was interactive. He recalled the Great Gatsby, Macbeth and The Crucible, which he will
never forget and recently compared the two Gatsby movies with his family recently. Reinhard is still an avid
reader to this day. Robert also saw her many years after he finished school and said that she was well liked
by all the boys. Reinhard remembered Penny Richards who taught swimming and who, at the time he
thought to be the most beautiful woman in the world! Other teachers were Mr Boswell who was different
and calm, teaching Afrikaans and History. Mr McFadden was quite a character and Willy Castle also taught
both of them.
Br Timothy (Tin Man) ran the school with an iron fist and wasn’t particularly well liked. When he was
headmaster he made a speech on the boys’ last day threatening them that they would not matriculate if
they threw him into the swimming pool. There were not many brothers still teaching at the school when the
Reinhard and Robert came to the end of their school career.
The brothers felt that they were never frightened into believing the religious aspect of their education whilst
at St David’s whereas at Treverton they were exposed to Sunday movies with non believers burning in hell.
At Sat David’s there was religious instruction and a regular mass which was very formal and weekly
Confession. Robert remembers being an altar boy for one event. The boys used to strive to be an altar boy
but Chaplain Plesters didn’t interact with the boys outside of mass. Reinhard felt that he took away from
this a respect for his elders and other people. Education was not his priority and neither he or Robert were
great academics and in those days the parents didn’t get involved as they do today.
Reinhard remembers writing matric in the dorms. And that the theme of his matric dance was “Star Wars”.
Both brothers left St David’s for a short period of time, they had a very autocratic German father who
decided that there was too much emphasis on sport and not enough on academics. They both went for one
term to Sandown High where they were introduced to girls, Robert in standard 6 and Reinhard in standard

7. From there they were sent to Treverton, a boarding school in Moii River. Robert came back to St David’s
   at the beginning of the second term in standard 8 and Reinhard lasted until about three quarters of
   standard 9. Both of them repeated a year, Robert standard 8 and Reinhard, standard 9.
   Both brothers remembered being caned but usually for a good reason.
   Reinhard had a drivers license in matric and drove an old Varient. A few boys Alphonso de Chaud, Enrico
   Maraschin, Brian Muller and George Daras tutored him and helped him pass matric. Reinhard was
   awarded scrolls for rugby and swimming and water polo. Reinhard played 1st rugby XV, was captain of the
   ‘A’ water polo team and captain of Bishops house
   Robert was vice captain of the ‘A’ swimming team, vice captain of the 2nd rugby XV and captained the
   Western province team, ‘A Water Polo team, a prefect and was awarded an honours blazer, scrolls for
   prefect, werit and water polo.
   After leaving school, Reinhard was accepted at Durban University to study a BComm but didn’t go. A friend
   of his father offered him a job in the laboratory field, then he followed his father and got involved in design
   and kitchens. In 1983 he went to Germany for three years to a college specialising in the furniture industry.
   Afterwards, in 1986 he went on a business trip with his father to the United States arriving just after the
   space shuttle blew up. Three months later both Reinhard and Robert were in the States, in Atlanta for one
   and half years until their father returned to South Africa and Reinhard and Robert closed the business.
   Reinhard rejoined the family business in 1994 and asked Robert to join him when their father retired and
   the two of them took over the business – Hartmann and Kepler. Keppler was their grandfather’s cousin, a
   cabinet maker.
   Robert completed a year at an audit firm as a junior clerk after leaving St David’s and rewrote Maths. He
   eventually went to work in the family business and did an apprenticeship in cabinet making for four years
   and went to the US in 1985-6. He then did his national service and joined the audit firm Meyer, Wilson and
   Marsh completing his articles there and studied for a degree through Unisa. He worked one year for an
   adult education company before returning to the family business.
   Reinhard felt that one of the saddest things when he left St David’s was that he didn’t know what the ANC
   was, although the country was in political turmoil he had been sheltered and was not aware of Mandela
   until he went to Germany.
   The brothers’ father, Gunter was an old boy of Koch Street and spent a short time at St David’s
   Robert has three sons two who currently attend St David’s and Reinhard has two daughters who attended
   St Mary’s. (Both at Stellenbosch). They have a brother Roland who also attended St David’s and is living in
   London.
   JE October 2013

Interview with Peter Loffell (1960)
Peter first attended St David’s in 1948 in grade 1 as a day boy. He was in a section in the junior
school with four classrooms with two grades within one classroom. This was separate from the
main school which had a series of classrooms in a horse shoe shape facing east, with the
dormitories facing north. The infirmary windows overlooked the swimming pool and McGill
Love’s farm. On the western side was the dining room and on the southern side, downstairs
were the headmaster’s office and about 2 classrooms. Standard 4, 5 and 6 were upstairs and
standard 7, 8, 9 and 10 downstairs. At that time the school had 300 pupils.
Peter used to go to the McGill Love’s place of 50 acres with cows etc after school until his father
came to fetch him until he was old enough to ride his bicycle to school. Mr McGill Love was
Peter’s mother’s uncle and founder of Haggy Rand and African Wire Ropes.
He remembers his first day vividly. His teacher was very strict and used the strap liberally and
Peter to this day still does not understand why she took the strap to him. Happily she didn’t stay
very long and Mrs Vincent took her place. In the first year he skipped a class and went up to
grade 2.
Other members of staff he remembers were Mrs Brophy -standard 1, standard 4 -Mrs Kempster,
standard 5 - Mr Bishop and from standard 6 upwards all the teaching was done by the brothers.
The teachers from the grades up to standard 5 had their own classrooms and taught all subjects
but after standard 6 the brothers taught individual subjects. The brothers he remembers are Br
Benedict, Br Bonaventure who was the rugby coach, Br Walker, Br Ephraim and Br Ralph.
Br Edwin was the headmaster followed by Br Benedict until Peter’s last year when Br Anthony
took his place. He recalls Br Edwin had very bad arthritis and had to take cortisone.
Peter enjoyed sport and played soccer in the junior school followed by rugby and cricket 1st and
2nds in the high school. There were A and B sides from U13, U14, U15 and then the 1st and
2nds. There was great rivalry between St David’s and Observatory who had some very good
players. The year in which he wrote matric St David’s rugby team was soundly beaten by
Observatory who had some great players and athletes in their team.
Peter remembered the tours to other Marist schools and went to Cape Town with the cricket
team in 1959 and in 1960 to St Henry’s and St Charles in Natal.
Culturally, Peter used to attend the debates between other schools but was not a member of the
debating society. A concert was held which he doesn’t remember too much about but he was
involved with two operettas, “HMS Pinafore” and “The Pirates of Penzance” directed by the
Music teacher Mr Drummond Bell.
As his first passion was the sport, Peter didn’t do too well academically and didn’t work very
hard, and although there was no sparing of the rod he wasn’t sufficiently motivated to work.
The matric dance was held in the dining room and he recalls it was agonising to find a girl to
take to the dance, he was only 16 at the time. The boys decorated the dining room themselves
and after the dance went home. In 1959 a party was organised for the end of year exams and
Br Benedict warned them that they wouldn’t be allowed to write the exams if he found them to
be involved in preparations for the party.
After he matriculated, Peter went on to Wits University where he studied for a BSc Engineering
but bombed out and then spent a year in the army after which he joined the Netherlands Bank
which became Nedbank until he retired. Paul Middlewick and Gilbert Pooley were also on the
Nedbank staff.
Peter has a son who after returning to Johannesburg from Natal went to Hyde Park High
School.
Peter attended a school reunion after 25 years and saw one of his contemporaries Clive Nobbs
who became head of Rand Mines and the Chamber of Mines.
JE March 2012

Interview with Pam Groenewald – Staff 1998
Pam came to St David’s in 1998 to work as the prep school headmaster, Rick Wilson’s PA. She found Rick
to be an unbelievably, kind and well organised boss and really enjoyed working for him. He was incredibly
supportive and was amazing when Pam went through her battle with cancer five months after joining the
staff.
Pam is a very focused, well organised individual who believes in doing everything correctly and has been
involved with schools for some time. Her parents were part of the struggle, a strong Methodist family and
they often had black ministers and ANC members stay with them which has given her a great insight and
empathy with people. This is essential as part of Pam’s job has always been to calm parents down when
necessary.
She remembers her first day very well and couldn’t believe her office, which was originally the brothers’
toilet and wondered if she would cope. To gain access she had to walk through Rick’s office and on one
occasion when he had a number of visitors and she urgently needed to get out of her office, Cheryl helped
her squeeze though a tiny window in order not to disturb Rick. Pam got on very well with Rick, Cheryl King
and Robbie Orr, they all had a good sense of humour and to this day Rick will still mischievously hide the
mouse to Pam’s PC.
Pam did all the admissions to the prep school which was a heavy load but she coped. Unfortunately Pam
needed to earn more money and left after 5 years only to return again after 3 months in 2003 to work as PA
for Malcolm Williams, the headmaster of the high school. Pam coped well with Malcolm and his flamboyant
style of leadership and found him to be a very private person. She found him to be highly intelligent with a
very good brain and good heart and has a lot of respect for him.
Pam’s children have also been associated with St David’s, Craig has been involved as swimming coach for
the past 15 years and Cathy worked in the pre-primary for 10 years until last year.
JE September 2003

Interview with Mike Smith – 1966
Mike was a day boy at St David’s and lived on a flower farm near Alexandra township. He
remembered his first day in grade 1 in the old grades block, Miss Brick was his teacher and she
used to rap the boys knuckles with her ruler. He and his brother Alf used to arrive at the school
early as their father used to drop them off on his way to market. Mike used to go and sit on the
steps and could see the traffic cops who used to come inside the school grounds to do their
speed trapping of cars on Rivonia Rd. He recalls that one morning Br Edwin the then principal
called him and sent him to tell the police that they could get some coffee from the school
kitchen. Mike was terrified of both the principal and the traffic cops so it was quite nerve
wracking for him.
Br Pius who had taught his father at Koch Street was at the school, although no longer teaching,
his passion was the gardens and he used to give the boys sweets from his lucky packet.
He remembered teachers such as Mrs Martin, Mrs Brophy, Mrs Green and Mrs Humphrey in
whose class the last minutes were dedicated to reading time. The boys really enjoyed this and
you could hear a pin drop during this time.
Mike enjoyed playing cricket from the early days when he used to play with his brother.
Throughout his school career there were always excellent cricketing coaches during the
summer months including the likes of Ken Palmer ( played for England); Jack Bannister; Don
Wilson and Poole. Mike had to choose between swimming or cricket and thoroughly enjoyed the
coaching and practise sessions. The coaches added value to their cricketing performances
which was quite good at the time. The cricket nets were next to where the new chapel now
stands.
The highlight of Mike’s school career occurred during the Michaelmass holidays, the school
then had 4 terms, which was the Marist cricket week and all the Marist schools in the country
competed against each other – St Patrick’s –Walmer; St Joseph’s – Cape Town; St Charle’s –
Pietermaritzburg; St Henry’s – Durban and St David’s – Johannesburg. The week was rotated
between the schools and Mike participated in 3 whilst in standard 8, 9 and 10. When the
matches were completed a Marist cricket 11 was selected and all the players were given a
special blazer, this was regarded as being especially prestigious. This team then played the old
boys team. Mike was selected twice for this team and became the captain in his matric year and
still has the badge given to him. During the week the food was good and the players were taken
to see a movie and a social event together with the local convent school was organised. The
Wilf Isaacs visiting cricket team was also a very special occasion and the Nuffield trials week
when St David’s and Observatory had a combined team against the likes of KES and Parktown
which gave the Marist schools a lot of credos. In those days the boys didn’t wear protective
head gear and he recalls an Obs boy, Brian Norberry being hit by a ball between the eyes. He
fortunately recovered from what was a potentially very dangerous injury.
The school’s swimming team at the time was very good and has been ever since. Athletics was
strong and regarded passionately by the boys and included such names as Terence Lavery,
Chris Terreblanche who were very talented athletes. The inter-catholic high he recalls was held
at a stadium. Rugby featured strongly and the tours were very popular. The rivalry between
Observatory and St David’s was strong and became quite hectic at times.
Academically Mike always did well being in the upper quotient of his year. He was amongst the
first boys to be streamed and studied Maths, Physics and Chemistry, Biology, English and
Afrikaans.
The school put on a couple of plays and Mike was involved backstage but did not act.
The brothers were amazing and real characters, Br Edwin, Br Anthony, Br Bosco (Mario) and Br
Andrew who was Spanish. The brothers dining room was out of bounds but, through the
occasional glimpse the boys could see that the food was good and that the brothers ate and
drank well.
Mike was caned on a daily basis, it was like an honour and not regarded as a problem. He
recalls an incident when a rather ripe orange that was thrown and just missed Br Andrew (Drac)
and all the boys were caned.
The matric dance in those days was rather different and the matric boys themselves decorated
the dining room, no huge sum of money was spent on the event and there was no before party.
The boarders were a fantastic bunch and made the school to a large extent, coming from all
over -Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique the Lowveld etc. He still remains in touch with Mike
Beaumont, Bart Dorrestein, Peter Gerrard, Jannie Steyn and Eric Ambrosioni. There were many
polio victims in the school at that time and he remembers Mike Nettman who was unable to play
sport and now lives in New Zealand and was one of the “Four Jacks and a Jill” and has had a
successful career as a musician. Mike organised the 40th reunion which was held at the top of
the Michael Angelo Towers in Bart Dorrestein’s suite “The Cupola” in 2006 and with a braai on
Sunday at St David’s high school paviliion
During his matric year there was much talk about military service and Mike was called up. He
remembers lining up for the medical exam in his school uniform in the drill hall. After completing
his military service Mike went on to Wits University to study engineering and until recently ran
his own construction company. His son Robert (2004) followed in the family tradition and was a
pupil at St David’s and Mike’s father Cyprien, who is now 92 was a pupil at Koch Street and
Observatory.
JE March 2012

Interview with Mike Greeff – Staff - 2006 to 2015
Before joining St David’s in 2006 as chief executive officer, Mike worked in the banking sector for 20 years
before running his own consulting company specialising in development finance mainly in South Africa,
Eastern Europe and Africa. Mike enjoyed his business which was very successful and identified NGO’s or
groupings that banks would not consider and, under the auspices of Shore Bank, (Chicago) would
guarantee loans with the backing of the US government.
Whilst in the banking sector, Mike ran leadership camps for grade 11 to matric boys through the auspices
of Rotary. As a matriculant and head prefect at Parktown Boys, Mike had attended one of these camps
himself and eventually his boss at the time asked him if he would get involved. Mike also saw this as a
form of outreach through his own company and also his old school. Some of the youngsters who attended
the camps asked him to come and speak at pupil development workshops such as the one he was involved
with at St David’s. Whilst running his own company he continued with this as a form of personal corporate
outreach. This extended to working with staff at schools and several strategic planning workshops.
In early 2000 Paul Edey and Kevin Brewer asked Mike if he would facilitate a staff planning session at St
David’s and look at a restructuring programme for the school management. In 2005 Paul Edey called him
again and asked him if he would do an intervention to assess the success of the restructuring programme
and at the same time told him he was resigning and suggested that perhaps Mike should consider applying
for the position of chief executive officer.
Mike then recused himself from the intervention process and recalls meeting with Tony Chappel, the then
chairman of the board on a Saturday in May 2006.
Mike was not a Marist pupil himself but was a practicing catholic and his grandparents had been managers
of the Maristonian club at Woodmead. Mike’s mother was brought up there and loved everything Marist.
Unfortunately Mike’s parents were not in a position to be able to send him to St David’s and he went the
public school route but always had a very strong association with the Marists. Hs mother sadly passed
away the day before Mike met with Tony Chappel and he regrets not being able to tell her about the
planned meeting. Mike then went through a set of interviews with Br Jude, Mrs Sealand and others and
eventually began his career at St David’s in September 2006 and has never regretted it.
Mike’s involvement with the Marist Brothers was key to his move into education and he qualified as a
teacher shortly after coming to St David’s; all his prior qualifications being commercial degrees. There were
many different issues he was tasked to deal with and, apart from the absolute strengthening of the Marist
link with the brothers and the rest of the Marist world; these included risk and governance; strategy and
ethos. St David’s was and still is a Marist catholic independent school. Mike’s dream is that boys currently
at the school will still have, in twenty years time a Marist school which is relevant to the times to which they
can send their children.
Shortly before he died Br Anthony expressed the opinion that St David’s was more Marist then than when
the brothers were running the school purely because the lay Marists running the schools are so acutely
aware of their responsibilities inherited from legions of Marist brothers who laid the foundations.
St David’s performance is being acknowledged in education and catholic education circles with many
members of staff being leaders in the educational environment having positions within the IEB, ISASA, the
Catholic Schools Office etc . Br Jude was instrumental and brave in his support and encouragement of lay
teachers and staff.
Mike is very proud of how vibrant MOBS has become with a combination of both younger and older MOBS
working together with Willy Castle in the chair.
The Foundation has grown with Chantal Ratcliffe being the right person at the right time followed now by
Lara Klement with whom the development has continued and flourished with a Marist perspective. Mike is
intimately involved with the running of the Foundation which is now far beyond where it started and has
moved to a different level of maturity. Lara has done an incredible job supported by Thierry Dalais, Rob
Smith, Tony Chappell, Gianni Mariano and with Br Jude at the very heart of it.
Mike is currently chairman of the African Law and Brothers Commission which covers the entire African
continent and he reports to Br Javier who in turn runs the secretariat of the laity in Rome. Br Joe originally
asked Mike to represent Southern Africa at the first meeting of this body.
Mike has set in place a good financial management structure with the school being run along business lines
but not as a business, with both schools being directed by the two headmasters and their staff. The school
is currently in a good place and Mike feels that Rod Smith summed it up well in his retirement speech when
he said, “On our day we will beat anyone but we are too small to be arrogant”. The school is in a healthy
space but that can change overnight, it has to be maintained and sustained. Its strength lies in the numbers
with people doing what they are good at, who are passionate about what they do and educating within the
Marist ethos.
Mike currently enjoys a little bit of teaching in guest slots with the grade 8’s through to matric, and is also
involved with staff development assisting with the induction of new staff and is fully involved on a pastoral
level with both headmasters.
2016, Willy Castle will be playing an active role and Mike is confident that what we celebrate in 2016 will be
celebrated in the same vein in another 25 years time with a golden thread running through it.
Mike feels that it has been a privilege for him to live at Maryknoll and to be part of the school for the past 10
years.
Mike has, as from 1 March 2015 been appointed director of the Marist Schools Council.
JLE January 2015

Interview with Mike Eilertsen – 2000
Coming from Rosebank Primary, Mike joined St David’s in 1996 when Paul Edey was
headmaster. He recalled that on the first day standard 6 underwent an induction on the
basketball courts and bullying was the big topic for the day and great emphasis was placed on
the boys being part of the Marist family. Rod Smith had been the victim of bullying in his youth
and was therefore strongly against it.
The teachers he remembers in particular are Mrs Snyman, Mr Fry, Mr McMillan, Mrs Cameron,
Paul Edey and Rod Smith. Debbie Cameron was impressive and once flicked and caught her
high heeled shoe before throwing it across the class when the boys were being particularly
unruly. Mr Cameron had an elastic ball which grew and grew as he confiscated rubber bands
from the boys. Mr McMillan used to squash paper and throw it at the boys, on one occasion
Mike caught it and threw it straight back. “Mac” used to hit the boys with his hand with what was
called a “Pucker”, he wasn’t vicious but made his point and often used to make the class stay in
after school. He had a little Scottie dog which followed him everywhere. Mrs Schumayn the
Afrikaans teacher would get so harassed by the boys that she would order the whole class out
of the classroom. Of course the boys took advantage of this until one day Mr Edey came by and
asked why all the boys were in the quad. There was a Mrs Leenstra who taught Maths and with
whom every boy fell in love. She was a warm person and beautiful on the inside as well as
being very attractive.
Mike was a very good sportsman excelling in athletics, was a good sprinter and received the
Victor Ludorum in 1999 and 2000. He was awarded an honours Blazer for general honours and
specific honours, sport, culturals, merit and leadership. Mike also got involved with school and
house plays, and public speaking which helped in his business career and is key with his
presentations. Academically Mike was in the top class but regarded himself a “B” student.
Mike went on to study a BComm Entrepreneurship at RAU but was unhappy with the content
and programme. He decided to open a business – “Breakfast Boys”, he initiated this and sold
breakfast packs at the corner of Jan Smuts and Conrad Drive for R10. He included pamphlets
about himself and what he was doing and business issues he was experiencing. The business
did well and he had a number of students who did the same thing at various key intersections
with him providing the packs. Someone then asked for coffee with the breakfast pack which led
to Mike buying some backpacks from Nestle and then flying to the US to acquire the rights for
the specialised backpacks. Two months later he took over the below line marketing for Nestle
and SAB and covered all the cricket matches and outdoor events including the World Cup. It
wasn’t long before Nestle and SAB bought him out. Together with Bruce Smith he got involved
with other ventures and now runs an events company, publishing and travel companies under
the umbrella “LiveOutLoud”. The hard cover magazine he publishes is available only to
exceptional people or SA business leaders.
Mike’s company is a finalist in the Sanlam Entrepreneurial Award 2012, the youngest company
to be nominated and in the top 20. The company was placed in the annual Africa SMME Awards
where the best businesses in Africa and the most innovative were identified. Mike’s company
was placed second in the “Most Innovative Category”.
Mike believes that experience is as vital as qualifications and that the courage to go out and get
involved in something makes you stand out.
Mike would be interested in offering internships to boys in grade 10 and up and would be
interested to be involved with the matric rite of passage. He would be interested in the book and
getting involved in 2016 celebrations and MOBS.
JE September 2012

Interview with Mathew Schneider – 2002
Matthew came to St David’s from Grayston Preparatory in 2002 into grade 8. He was the first generation of
the Schneider family at St David’s.
He remembers lining up in the quad next to the smelly ablution block, the matrics seemed huge and he
knew only two other boys from Grayston. He knew no one in his class and his introduction to a boy’s school
was a fight which broke out between two boys during an English lesson.
Matthew went to the Grade 8 camp to Babanangu. It was an overnight trip with the boys sleeping on the
bus, some in the luggage racks and some on the floor.
Matthew enjoyed the sport immensely and was a member of College house with Yvette Snyman as
housemaster. In grade 8 and 9 he played cricket, rugby and athletics. At the end of grade 9 he moved from
cricket to water polo and was a member of the team up until matric. He was a member of 1st team rugby, A
team athletics, A team swimming and 1st team water polo. The U15 rugby team did really well and Matthew
recalled the first year that St David’s was invited to participate in the 10 Schools Gala which was held at
Wits University. He remembers the early morning training the friendship and camaraderie.
Academically Matthew was average as he was too busy on the sports field and didn’t enjoy studying. He
was awarded an honours blazer for leadership, sport and merit and was selected to be a prefect.
The teachers who really stood out were Phil Andrew, Yvette Snyman, Dianne Webb, Teresa Voorendyk,
Brad Ireland and Marius Buys.
Of all the camps that Matthew participated in the grade 11 camp at the “Spirit of Adventure Camp” in the
Magaliesburg was the most memorable. They were the first St David’s boys to go there and it has become
a regular camp ever since.
Matthew made some really good friends who he still sees on a regular basis, they are really deep seated
friendships.
Matthew is passionate about St David’s and loves coaching. He enjoyed his high school career and thought
that Paul Edey was a great headmaster.
After matriculating, Matthew went to UJ and studied for a BComm Sports Management. He continued to
play rugby for Pirates for another 5 -6 years which he thoroughly enjoyed.
After graduating he went into sales for 2-3 years which he didn’t enjoy. He contacted Shane Gaffney and
started his internship at St David’s in 2010 studying for 2 years through Unisa for his post graduate
certificate in Education. He loves teaching and is happy at St David’s. He currently teaches Accountancy to
grades 8 and 9 and Business Studies to Grades 10 – 12. His mentors were Shane Gaffney, Alan Redfern
and Alex Gitlin all who have moved on to become deputy headmasters elsewhere.
Matthew is a member of MOBS and plays in their water polo team.
JLE February 2014

Interview with Matthew Alford – 2003
Matthew arrived at St David’s coming from St Peter’s Prep, alone and not knowing anyone. Being very shy,
he found it terrifying, walking into the main quad with his very new school uniform, bags and books. Savo
Ceprnich was the first boy to come and introduce himself, and still remains a close friend of Matthew’s
today. He found the timetable very confusing and after a gruelling Glenmore camp, became a member of
Benedict house.
Matthew liked the teachers and found them easy to get on with. He made some good friends during his
time at the school and enjoyed the culture of St Davids.
Paul Edey was very special and well liked and Matthews’s first encounter with him in class was rather
intimidating, with Paul standing on the elevated teaching platform. When Paul asked him for his name,
Matthew replied with his christian name and Paul barked at him saying “Surname, boy!” All the boys liked
Paul, he was a major influence on them and had a personal relationship with every boy at the school. He
had such charisma none of the boys wanted to get a bad mark from him.
Matthew experienced some interesting moments with Marius Buys who told weird stories and had strange
teaching methods. Mr Andrew was unpredictable and the boys never knew what mood he would be in.
Matthew really liked Mrs Roman and Mrs Marais who had so much patience and love and Mrs Voorendyk
who once kicked out the entire class one by one, for not doing their homework.
Matthew participated in hockey, in winter and swimming during the summer.
Together with Rowan Stafford, Matthew assisted with the school’s weekly newsletter helping Reverend
“Rev” Bruce from grade 9 until matric. The work was quite time consuming with its Thursday deadline and
they handed it over to a new team, before writing their matric exams
After matric, Matthew studied a BComm Accounting at RAU\UJ. He then obtained his BComm Accounting
Honours through UNISA while working at KPMG in 2010. He is currently working as a CA(SA) at ABSA
Capital, is involved with product control and corporate loans.
Based on his experience at St. David’s Marist Inanda, Matthew would definitely consider enrolling any sons
at the school in the future.
JLE December 2013

Interview with Mark Reeves – 1983
Mark began his school career at St David’s in 1973, starting in standard 1, after moving from
Sandown Primary which was located where Sandton City now stands. At the age of 5, he
remembers being the swimming team mascot for College house at the inter-house gala,
dressed as a sword bearing sheik. The aftercare is now situated where this swimming pool once
was located.
He has fond memories of Miss Joseph, Miss Jamieson (Ansell), Mrs Anderson, Mrs Scaafsma
and Mrs Napier, all of whom taught him in junior school. Mrs Kempster was headmistress and
had a crooked index finger, causing confusion as to who she was actually pointing at, while you
were being scolded.
The brothers were still very active in teaching and coaching sport at this time. Mark remembers
being taught at some stage of his senior years by Brother’s Timothy, Bernard, Richard,
Christopher and Anthony. Senior school was where you gained your foundation and became
part of the Marist family.
Memorable advice came from Br Anthony when he said “Do not feel guilty for your privileged
lives, because if it wasn’t for compassionate and generous privileged people the poor would
have nothing”.
Strong teachers like Brother Anthony, Mr Collier, Mr Boswell, Mrs Elliot and Mr McFadden,
made a huge impact on those senior school years. Mark remembers Mr Collier, a remarkable
teacher and coach, who was very religious and well respected by all the boys, especially for his
caring attitude to all. He took them on retreat to Kuruman where Br Anthony and Br Christopher
hosted the boys during school holidays.
During the last two years of Mark’s schooling career at St David’s he had 3 Headmasters, Mr
Murphy, Br Anthony and Mr Frielick. Mr Murphy was a tower of a man and his wrestling career
was the best kept secret amongst the boys. Mark recalls lifting Mr Murphy above his head at
rugby trials in standard 9 and was rewarded with a place in the 1st rugby team for his effort. Tim
Marnewick was chairman of the school board of governors and a strong supporter of the Marist
community.
Classmates who he remembers well are Peter Wharton-Hood, an intellectual genius, who often
assisted the teachers after proving them wrong and who also was a talented sportsman.
Duncan Senior, who mirrored these attributes. Andrew Forsmann, a great all rounder, and the
long line of Forsmann’s who attended St David’s and who owned Kyalami Ranch, a memorable
recreational facility for them all.
He remembers Karl Ortel, who during his matric year at St. David’s fought 20 fights in 21 days
to win the Golden Gloves World Boxing Tournament. Corado Annicello who achieved Springbok
colours in judo. Kamsisi Nyirenda, the Malawian ambassador’s son, who in the black & white
class photo, due to his dark complexion, blended into the background with only his white teeth,
the white of his eye’s and collar visible. Solly Maponya,who had a BMW in standard 6 and who
was a great driver, especially to parties. Other good friends who are now very successful
businessmen include Sven Retzlaff and Roy Perlman, property developers, Mark Atier a cellular
industry entrepreneur, Mark Rosewitz a top legal adviser and Jason Askew, who has become a
famous Anglo-Boer war artist. “There are so many success stories of individual classmates from
his year and he is very proud to have been associated with them all”..
Mark was honoured to have been elected as head prefect in 1983. He was captain of the school
swimming and water polo teams, and was captain of College House. He was awarded colours
for rugby, swimming and water polo, and received a merit scroll for leadership. He played 1st
team rugby and was a member of the athletics team, for field events, but banned from hurdles
for breaking multiple crossbars! He also received an academic scroll and a distinction for History
in matric
After leaving St David’s Mark studied a BA in Education and together with his brother, Alan, also
head prefect of St. David’s in 1977, started a well known photographic business. They have had
the good fortune of working together for over 33 years and are now involved in multiple building
hardware and paint retail outlets.
Mark served St. David’s on the board of governors, was chairman of the development
committee and an active member of the PTA. He still serves as a member of the old boys
committee. Mark is married to Carol-Anne and has a son Stephen and daughter Kirsty.
JLE May 2016

Interview with Mark Forssman – 1979
Mark was the first of the Forssman family to attend St David’s followed by his brother Bobby –
1980; Andrew – 1983 and cousins Billy -1987 (head boy); Jason – 1989 (deputy head boy);
Dale - (deputy head boy); Jordan -1996 – (head boy); Mark’s sons Tim – 2004 and Chris –

2006. Currently pupils at the school are Adrian, Andrew’s son; Blake cousin’s son; Aidan, Billy’s
      son and then Jason’s son.
      Mark started in grade 1 in 1968, although he doesn’t remember his first day he certainly
      remembers his brother’s as he relieved himself during line up! Mark said they had been brought
      up running free, no shoes and playing on the family plot and he does recall that wearing shoes
      was a bit of a problem to begin with.
      Mark remembers teachers, such as Mrs Napier; standard 2, Mrs Schaafsma; Mrs Kempster and
      Mrs Kenezovitch who played the organ at his wedding. During his time there were still brothers
      at the school, Br Anthony, Br Timothy, Br Bosco (Mario), Br Bernard, Br Aidan, Br Plesters who
      was involved with the gardens. Trudy Elliott was a fantastic teacher and quite a character; Mrs
      Klaasens – Afrikaans; Mr Neft; Mrs Lipschitz – Maths and water polo coach now living in
      Australia; Sally Saunderson; William Smith – Science; Mr Vahey- Geography and Mr Lobo who
      was Spanish. Mark recalled Peter Springer, Peter Habertson, a sports teacher who for some
      reason disliked Mark, made life difficult for him and ensured that he wasn’t included in the 1st
      team rugby photo even though he had played for the team on 5 occasions and Peter Swanson
      who was an international Irish rugby player and the rugby coach.
      Mark remembers when he was in junior school that he and some friends were tormenting a boy
      near the road that ran between the junior and high schools. Br Anthony spotted them and called
      them into his office. They shuffled in and Br Anthony, looking enormous stood there with his big
      cane which he flexed against a chair giving them stern looks, they were terrified but he
      eventually told them to get out and never to tease any other boys again.
      In the junior school Mark was involved with swimming, athletics, soccer and tennis and standard
      5, U13 rugby. He won the junior school tennis championships but never played again after that.
      The boys were more or less forced to participate in cross country and they used to try all sorts
      to get out of it! In the high school he played rugby, water polo, swam and was the B team
      swimming captain and captain of the 2nd rugby team. He was awarded a scroll for water polo,
      studies, merit and became a prefect. With 3 scrolls one was awarded an honours blazer of
      which he was very proud.
      Mark recalls boys hiding in the auditorium under the chairs and that going to sport events in the
      old school bus was great fun. Disco’s were held in the basement room next to the tuck shop to
      raise funds for the matric dance. These often ended up in chaos. Mark was a bit of a renegade
      as his father used to organise a bus for him and his friends, Mark would set up a shebeen and
      bought the booze from the compound.
      Culturally there wasn’t much happening, no camps or anything special like that at the time.
      The matric dance was held in the dining room with an Al Capone, gangster theme. The standard
      8’s were the waiters. The standard 9’s decorated the room and were allowed to join in. Mark
      remembers that the after party was held at Deon De Gouveia’s house which was across the
      road from the school.
      Academically Mark was average but a consistent student and achieved 6 C’s for matric. After
      leaving St David’s he studied at Wits University but had a bad motorcycle accident on the first
      day, missed three months and subsequently pulled out after the second three months. He
      continued the second year but again pulled out, went into the army and eventually signed up on
      the permanent force and became an air traffic controller from 1982 – 1987. Through various
      circumstances he became involved in building and construction and now has his own company.
      Many boys in Mark’s time left the country and others including a good friend who died fighting
      on the border. It was a strange time which affected everybody. Things started to come right in
      the mid- 80’s and Tim was born in 1986.
      Mark organised an Argus ride in memory of Justin Bessler – the JB Express consisting of 120
      cyclists raised R265 000 for CHOC. It was Justin’s dream to beat cancer and to ride the Argus
      and raise funds for CHOC.
      JLE April 2012

Interview with Malcolm Williams – Staff 1997 – 2013
Malcolm joined the staff of St David’s as deputy headmaster in July 1997 whilst Paul Edey, the headmaster
was on a pilgrimage. Malcolm came from Sandown High School where he was deputy headmaster having
also taught at King Edward VII High School for a number of years. Malcolm was St David’s 12th
headmaster and the second longest serving head after Br Anthony.
When Malcolm arrived, the sense of family and positive rapport between pupils and staff was very evident.
There was a strong focus on ethos and values which permeated the school. However the school had none
of the buildings it enjoys today. There was no hall, no pavilion, no media Centre, no astro and no Br
Anthony wing. The construction of the hall and 6 classrooms began in 1998. In 1997 there were 350 pupils
enrolled in the high school and in 2103, 563. The past four years has seen increased enrolment every year
averaging 28 pupils per class. St David’s has become the school of choice in Johannesburg with 90% of
the pupils coming through from the prep school. The school is also known as one of the top academic
schools in the country and has been acknowledged as one of the main feeder schools to Wits University by
vice chancellor, Adam Habib.
In 2002 Malcolm was appointed headmaster and was determined to change the profile of the school with
pupil leadership, celebrating individual talents, creating strength in academics, sport and cultural activities.
He did this moving the school forward in all areas with the firm resolve to achieve excellence without
compromising the core values and Marist ethos of the school.
Both Paul Edey, in his new role of executive head and Malcolm were involved with professional bodies
serving in various roles on ISASA , SAHISA and CASPAat provincial and national levels . Mike Greeff
continues the school’s involvement in Catholic schools’ organisations, MSC etc.
Malcolm is a keen sportsman and hockey player and did much to encourage development of the sport at St
David’s serving as coach and convener and member of the Executive of USSASA boy’s hockey. In fact, in
2001 St David’s hockey moved into section A of Aitken Trophy with the school now one of the strongest
nationally in this area. In 2003 St David’s rugby team beat KES and 1st cricket won the Johnny Waite
Knockout.
There has been tremendous growth in Music and Drama from almost nothing to the vibrant parts of the
school they now are, as well as being academic subjects, to add to the successes in debating and public
speaking. Academic records and excellence were sustained having pupils in the top 50 candidates for
matric since being incorporated into the IEB.
Key aspects Malcolm enjoyed seeing become part of the school include: the Marist principle of ‘Presence’,
with boys and staff supported in all areas of school life; Academic excellence, which has been sustained
over time and is measured by a range of outside benchmarks including the IEB examinations; the range of
academic enrichment initiatives being undertaken, including participation in IEB pilot projects; the growth
and development of a professional staff of high quality; a sports programme which enables the school and
the boys to achieve success at provincial and national level, and also provides opportunities for all; a highperforming,
broad-based, dynamic, and diverse cultural programme; increased pupil leadership
opportunities and mechanisms for recognition, particularly in the matric leadership group; structures
established to increase the level of involvement in outreach and partnership activities; the continued
strength of the Staff Sponsorship Fund; the expansion of the school’s pastoral care structures and the
house system; the excellent facilities, the most recent and visible of these being the Brother Anthony Wing;
the ‘Whole School Day’ programme; the effective partnerships with a number of non-government
organisations and the St David’s Foundation.
Malcolm thoroughly enjoyed his years at St David’s Marist Inanda but it was not a simple matter to leave
such a fine school,with its special Marist ethos. He was enriched by working with a talented, loyal and
energised staff who give everything for the benefit of the boys in their care, for each other, and for the
school. Many of them are good friends as well as colleagues. Malcolm enjoyed developing a strong rapport
with parents over the years, who so often go the extra mile for the school. The boys themselves always
inspired him with their huge commitment, their passion for their school and their tremendous sense of
camaraderie, which is something special.
Malcolm said it had been a privilege to be part of the growth of the high school, and the many innovations
which have been evident in this growth. St David’s truly offers a holistic education where every boy is able
to develop his talents. The school now has a strong national footprint across all areas of school life and the
boys and staffs are achieving much success.
Malcolm also believed that a measure of a school is how its pupils progress once they leave school. A most
pleasing aspect being the continued success of St David’s old boys at tertiary level and beyond. They have
excelled, and the old boys are clearly able to hold their own in their chosen spheres of life. Malcolm also
found it most gratifying in recent years to see the growth and energy present in the old boys’ association,
as well as the number of old boys who have joined the teaching profession over the past thirteen years.
Malcom firmly believed that the infrastructure at St David’s is well established and has an extremely
strong, professional and committed academic, administrative and support staff which he enjoyed being part
of and had no doubt that the school would continue to go from strength to strength in the years ahead.
JLE December 2013

Interview with Larry Griffiths – 1972
Larry joined St David’s when he was 8 years old going into standard 2. His father was
transferred to Johannesburg from Port Elizabeth where he was formerly a pupil at St Patrick’s.
He and his younger brother Michael (1973) were day boys.
Br Anthony was the headmaster and Larry thought he was brilliant. He recalled an amusing
story involving him and Br Bosco (Mario). Br Bosco decided that Br Anthony should regain his
red hair and developed a dye which would work on his grey hair. Unfortunately it worked well,
but rather too well and Br Anthony ended up sporting fire engine red hair! This occurred shortly
before the annual prize giving and the dye didn’t wash out therefore Br Anthony had to take the
podium with his brilliant red hair much to Brother Anthony’s embarrassment and everybody
else’s amusement. In September 1979 Larry visited Br Aquinas, a family friend in the Cape and
went to see Br Anthony somewhere in the Cape Flats.
Larry did not particularly like Br Timothy, ‘Tin Man” but the boys were amused by his habit of
combing his hair over his bald patch and when the wind blew it stood straight up then flopped
onto his opposite shoulder. He enjoyed Br Bosco, he was passionate about his subject,
Science. He recalled Br Andrew giving the ’1972 matrics punishment and detention unless they
could recite the first chapter of Caesar’s Gallic Wars. He was a strong disciplinarian but always
fair. Br Aidan the bursar was popular, he was always in control and treated the boys like adults
and they responded accordingly..Larry felt that, in spite of his other problems, Br Bernard was a
good Latin teacher and managed to bring it alive with stories about its background. Father
Bailey trained him as an altar boy. Bob Blythe the Maths teacher could never get Colin
Rezekswick’s name right and called him Da Silva. Mr Zachkarowicz was fluent in English,
Polish, German, Italian and Greek, he had a rough time in Germany but managed to escape
and ended up in South Africa. He was very anti the South African government as he could see
similarities with what he had experienced in Germany. Larry felt that he was an excellent History
teacher. Mrs Janusz taught Latin, and was formidable, she was a Scot and her husband was
Polish.
Larry did well academically until Thomas Rumpelt and Alfred Ghodes came along at the start of
standard 6.They were both academically very strong and also performed well on the sports field.
However Larrry was still awarded the Costa John Memorial Trophy for coming top of the class in
standard 5. He was the first boy to be acknowledged in this way.
Larry was not a great sportsman but played 4th team rugby and, although tennis was not really
encouraged at St David’s both he and his brother played and the team achieved a place in the
premier schools league. In spite of their endeavours none of the 1972 members of the 1st tennis
team were awarded a scroll which they longed for, it was only in 1973 that tennis was
considered moderately acceptable and the school’s tennis champion, Larry’s younger brother
Michael was awarded a tennis scroll. This caused a bit of a problem in that Michael was not the
tennis captain – Michael had defeated Desmond Schatz, the tennis captain, in the final of the
school championships. The school decided to award Desmond Schatz a tennis scroll as well.
No other members of the first team were awarded scrolls.
In 1964, Larry’s first year at St David’s, it snowed and Paul Steinhardt threw a snowball with a
stone in its middle at someone; it missed and smashed the window of one of the teacher’s cars.
In December of the previous year there had been a huge hail storm which caused a lot of
damage, many windows in the school were broken including some stained glass and it took a
few years for them all to be replaced.
Larry’s first experience of being politically aware occurred in the late 1960’s when Marist old
boys, who were members of the visiting New Zealand All Blacks Rugby team came to address
the school at assembly. He remembers wondering why the Maoris could be included in the New
Zealand team and their society and the blacks in South Africa were not.
Larry remembered the victorious rugby team of ’72 and George Nichas missing a goal against
KES even though he was standing right in front of the posts. It was the only match that St
David’s lost that year.
The matric dance was held in the boarders dining room and the after party was held at Carl Ebs
parent’s home in Illovo. It was all very low key and everyone was well behaved.
Of his peers Larry noted that Terry Van Heerden – deputy head boy; Eric Melman; Steve
Goodeye, and his brother Michael (1973) class – all currently living in Australia. Carl Eb lives in
New Zealand as does David von Elling (1971) class. Patrick Esnouf (1973 class) “Mr Mining” in
South America formerly a director of Anglo and now with the Andean Board living in Chile. Tim
Cockerell’s father was a pilot who died of a heart attack and his mother brought the family to
South Africa from the UK, While having the greatest admiration for Betty Cockerell’s pluck in
moving to South Africa and bringing up three sons, all of whom attended St David’s, Larry
believes that she may have been helped by the brothers to enable her to educate her sons.
When he matriculated, Larry went to Wits University and studied Civil Engineering. Afterwards
he did two years national service becoming an officer in the South African engineering corps,
was seconded to the CSIR where he was involved with mine warfare and bridge demolition. He
was in active contact with the Rhodesian Engineers and the Selous Scouts. He then had to fulfil
conditions of his bursary and worked for Grinaker Construction for two years living in Rhodesia
before it became Zimbabwe, before returning to South Africa. He was having so much fun in
Zimbabwe that he stayed in Africa a lot longer than he had originally intended. Larry finally left
for New Zealand in February1994and was transferred to Australia in early 1995. Initially he
settled in Melbourne before moving to Queensland in early 2006. He currently lives in Brisbane
where he works as a traffic engineer in local government.
Larry thinks it is very sad the way things have evolved in South Africa. He feels very strongly
about affirmative action and its related policies, which he believes have had a very negative
effect on the development of the country and on job creation.
JLE November 2012

Interview with Kurt Morais – 1993
Kurt remembers being interviewed by Brother Jude in 1980. He was kind and warm and asked Kurt what
he would do at school and Kurt responded by saying that he would play and learn. Initially Kurt found
everything very intimidating. Mr Davies was headmaster of the school at the time.
Whilst at St David’s both Kurt and his brother Earl (1989) grew up in two distinctly different environments.
During the day, at a predominantly white school and then returning home into a township environment. Kurt
was sensitive to race issues but was never made to feel any different by his teachers and other pupils, with
the exception of Mr Davies. In grade 2 a fellow pupil, Michael Fuchs went with him into the township. Kurt’s
father ran a shebeen in which both he and Earl worked from time to time whilst their mother was a bank
clerk and eventually became a bank manager.
In the prep school he remembers teachers such as Mrs Walton, Mrs Hildyard and Mrs Geldenhuys.
Another boy Zam Nkosi was with Kurt from grade 0 up until matric. Other teachers he remembers well were
Mrs Hurley, Mr Finlayson, Mr Kotze in standard 5 and he recalled that if a pupil got less than 15 he would
be caned for every mark lost. Mr Eagen was an English teacher with a lisp and boys being boys, mocked
him. Mr Girdwood was a good English teacher and most sought after. He captivated the boys’ imagination
with his stories and Kurt likened him to Robin Williams in “Dead Poets Society”. Other teachers of note
were Miss Von Guilleaume who taught Zulu and Mr Lambe, Religious Instruction and Science.
Kurt said that he grew up with interesting characters, some highly educated and some with prison
backgrounds. Willy Castle taught him how to swim. He participated in soccer, rugby, swimming, basketball,
athletics and cricket but didn’t play tennis. However after a number of injuries his parents decided that he
should no longer play rugby.
He went with the athletics team to Potch University for training and found it to be an excellent way of
bonding with the team members. Kurt was also basketball captain in his matric year and excelled in
athletics.
Kurt was a member of the school choir and participated in all the school plays.
Kurt was appointed a prefect but had to give it up due to an incident on the school bus returning from an
athletics event. Both Kurt and another coloured boy, Bushan Ravjee were unaware of the incident but were
in any event defrocked. Gary Norton spoke out against this decision.
Kurt admits to messing around a lot in class and was kicked out on numerous occasions but he excelled
after leaving school.
After matriculating, Kurt was awarded a Konrad Adenauer bursary. The Geldenhuys family assisted with
this and he initially studied for a degree in engineering at Wits but after 2 ½ years realised it wasn’t right for
him and went on to study politics and economics at RAU.
Kurt is marrie, has 3 sons and a baby daughter Milea. His eldest, a stepson aged 17 is currently studying
at the British International College and has Spanish as his second language, the other sons Alexander, 6 is
in grade1 at St David’s and Adam, 2 1/2 will probably start in grade 0.
Kurt spent 4 years in Washington working at the World Bank but returned to South Africa in 2015. Belinda
Marais visited him when she was attending a conference in Washington.
JLE December 2015

Interview with Kevin Peel – 1966
Kevin joined St David’s in 1954 in grade 1 and his first memory is of being in class with the
famous Mrs Brick and others such as Mrs Kempster, Mrs Janusch who was head of the junior
school The teachers that stand out in his mind are Br Anthony, Br Andrew (Drac) and Br Bosco .
He remembers standing at line up with Mike Larkin with whom he went through until matric.
Mike became a Professor and was sadly murdered. Kevin and his two brothers all attended St
David’s, with his parents doing the daily trip from their home in Roosevelt Park for 24 years.
Kevin’s father was also a Marist boy at Koch Street and then Observatory.
He enjoyed the sport wanting to be a part of it all and was in the 1st hockey team, 2nd teams for
rugby and cricket and also participated in athletics and played golf. He remembers Trevor Elliot
who started the school’s first golf club. All the Peel boys played sport everyday and their father,
who worked at Rosebank clinic in the radiology department, fetched them at the end of the day.
Because they spent so much time at school they often used to eat with the boarders. Kevin was
the only Peel not to be awarded provincial colours but went on to play 1st team rugby at Pirates
Rugby Club. He and his brothers were in the Pirates 1st team spanning 13 years and at one
stage 13 out of the 15 U20 team were MOBS.
The Inter- Catholic Schools Athletics Meetings were unbelievable, booking out the Wanderers
stadium and the school had some great athletes such as Terry Lavery, some of whose records
remain unbroken today.
Kevin’s father was the chairman of the old Marist Club and captained their cricket team
He is still in touch with many of his friends from those days namely Eric Ambrosioni, Anthony
Walker and Colin Cockerell. Another old boy, Renzo Brocco is Kevin’s first cousin and they
were also related to the Goosen family. Kevin also meets up with other old boys such as
Schoombie, Stott, Foden at Parkview Golf Club. He recalled the Tomaselli family who lived
below the fields.
An amusing incident that he recalled was when he was sent out of class and looked over the
balcony to see his brother sitting on the wall below him as he had also been sent out. He called
out in a voice imitating Br Anthony “Cooome heeer boy” at which his his boet got such a fright
he fell off the wall.
Discipline was hard and strict but the boys didn’t resent it and never complained Kevin
remembered a time when he was sent out of class and told to fetch the brother’s cane from the
auditorium. He found the cane and then dropped it down between the tiered seats and went
back and said he was sorry but couldn’t find it. He wonders if it is still there to this day.
Another memory was the day it snowed and as the brothers came out of their door to assembly
they were pelted with snow balls. One of the glass door panes was broken much to Br
Anthony’s anger and disgust.
Br Anthony attended the 40th reunion which was organised by Kevin and Trevor Elliot.
Kevin remembers the musical “Pirates of Penzance produced by Mr Drummond Bell which was
enthusiastically supported by all the boys and Kevin remembers that his partner at his matric
dance was Jenny Ireton.
After matriculating, Kevin attended Wits University where he studied for a BSC Quantity
Surveying. He then worked in his uncle, Harry Morgan’s practice for a few years. Harold’s
brother was Brother Ronald who taught at St Davids’ for a few years.. Kevin then started up on
his own in 1980 and has worked for himself ever since and is currently with O’Mahoney, Peel ,
Rowney Quantity Engineers.
Unfortunately Kevin’s son was unable to attend a formal school such as St David’s but is now a
journalist.
Kevin has been a contributor to Boys Town for the past 20 years and also supports a number of
other causes such as the Avril Elizabeth Home and Oliver’s Home. Kevin’s company is often
involved in undertaking gratis work for the church when called upon by John Mills’ 59. Kevin
enjoyed his time at St David’s and is more than happy to get involved.
JLE January 2013

Interview with Jock Loseby 1951
MEMORIES : ST.DAVID’S MARIST , INANDA : 1946 TO 1951
On a mild August day in 1946 I came to St. David’s (SD) for the first time. Not only
was I to attend school there – I was also to be a boarder as where we stayed, on a
timber farm near Sabie, was about 6 hours drive away.
Attending school was quite a pleasure. I moved into Mrs Stirton’s grade 2 class
immediately. The rage of the day there was the percussion band with triangles, bells,
drums, clappers and goodness knows what. We even attended an Eistetford at the
city hall and were highly commended. My part was, with others, to ring our bells at
the right time.
Mrs Brophy, in standard 1, almost immediately passed me on to Mrs Walsh in
standard 2. I felt most comfortable with Mrs Walsh and prospered under her watchful
eye. She was also my teacher in standard 3 where I managed 100% at year end for
Arithmetic – the best in all the South African Marists. I got a similar prize, in standard
4, for Afrikaans under Mrs Kempster – a very disciplined and kind person .
Mr Bishop, my standard 5 teacher, was the hero of many – he managed the under 11
and under 12 soccer sides!
Mr Hoare, in standard 6, was a perfect gentleman.When we did something silly, he
would press his index finger on our temples, saying “dear me boy”. For more serious
offences, we got strapped on our behinds, in private, in the classroom, during the
lunch break. When we thanked him for the strapping, he seemed confused.
In standard 6 Brother Joseph was our Latin teacher. It was rumoured that he used to
be a Spanish wrestler – so we generally learnt our Latin grammar!
Boarding was of course, something new. I was immediately allocated to the most
junior dormitory. Brother Michael was the dormitory master.
He used to read to us each night, in the dormitory, before bed. We listened to the
Hardy Boys and Biggles et al and even got a sweet each half way through the
session.
I was the 2nd smallest in the dormitory, (and probably in the school) the smallest boy
slept next to me and sometime later he became my brother – in – law.
We had to keep our clothes lockers neat. After locker inspection, we received one
strap (cut) for each untidy item of clothing. We also had to send our dirty clothes to
the laundry. When my mother heard that I had been criticised for sending too many
clothes to the laundry, I was told to tell the brother – in – charge that “cleanliness is
next to godliness” I did not obey this instruction!
We also had to polish our shoes every evening – monitors inspected our efforts.
Sport played a big part in our lives – even at primary school.Cricket and soccer were
the main sports with swimming not far behind.
We had PT during class hours – probably up to standard 1 or 2.We sometimes had
boxing during PT and at other times there were adhoc tournaments. I hated boxing
especially being hit on the head and even more so if it was the smallest boy in the
school doing the hitting (my now brother – in – law). Harry Best was our PT
supervisor and he was also Johnny Arthur’s boxing trainer. JA was the South African
heavyweight boxing champion.
When I arrived at SD there were sand fields on the right of the entrance gate (as you
entered). On these both juniors and seniors played cricket (on matting wickets) and
soccer. In ca 1947, a grass rugby cum cricket field was built below the tennis courts
and in 1949, the old cricket/soccer fields were replaced by 2 grass rugby fields with a
turf wicket – between them I think. There were still some sand fields for cricket and
soccer on a piece of land that may have been acquired (or was it just left over)while
the grass fields were being constructed – these fields bordered the grass fields but
were further away from the school complex.
2
So with the grass fields rugby began in earnest. In 1950 or 1951 I played rugby at
scrumhalf for the lowest team in the school – under 13B. In our first game we lost to
KES 15-0.
The turf wicket was also a great improvement. I watched a senior school practice
where Brother Benedict hit many straight sixes.
I was lucky enough to captain the U13 cricket team.
At this stage Brother Urban had been replaced by Brother Edwin as principal.
During the school féte held at about this time Vickie Toweel defeated Manuel Ortiz to
become Bantamweight champion of the world and also
 Leon Norgarb and Eric Sturgess played an exhibition tennis match (Mrs
Strauss, our coach, often told us how she had played tennis with these
gentlemen)
 Sid Brews hit some towering drives on the upper grass fields and also
amused us with some trick shots and
 We could win money by scoring goals past Phil Snoynan, the SA goalkeeper
And now something about the food.
There was no white bread in the first year or two I was at St David’s and sometimes
for tea we were given thick brown bread sandwiches with peanut butter in them.
Many times the day boys gave us some of their lunch. Enrico Giglioli, the Italian
ambassador’s son, was particularly generous to me in this regard.
Some interesting parts of our menu were
 Frogs eggs – particularly sticky sago pudding
 Army biscuits with weevils in them and
 Lumpy porridge.
But before our longer holidays we had beanos – lovely food, ice cream cool drinks
and sweets.
Of course, I did have some heroes:
Brother Urban, a charismatic, dynamic person.
Brother Edwin, a deep person
Brother Benedict, a man’s man
Michael Clarke, a friend of Cor? Vermeulen, played first team cricket, got 6B’s in
matric, became a schoolteacher on leaving school.
Ian Irvine and Grisdale, prominent athletes
Roy Gibson, good boxer, flyhalf for first rugby team
Setti? Risi, scrumhalf for first rugby team
Johnny Westwater, very dynamic, eventually became a champion jockey
Bobby Perinho, hit 5 fours in one over
Rosmarin made a century for the first team
Buffa, a good high jumper and
Asher Swede, a generous patron of the school.
Our religious upbringing was taken very seriously.
Catholics had Mass about 3 times per week including Sunday, Confessions were on
Thursdays, there were daily? RD lessons and we were prepared for 1st communion
and confirmation – I was confirmed by Bishop Whelan at the Rosebank Parish in
1951.
My non catholic friends were encouraged to be committed in their specific faiths.
What an unforgettable and happy experience I had at St David’s!
Jock Loseby
28 April 2007

Interview with Jeetesh Kathawaroo – 1992
Jeetesh first came to St David’s in standard 1, 1983. He and his sister were pupils at Parktown
Convent, Jeetesh being in grade 1 and 2 before writing an entrance exam and being accepted
at St David’s. The family were living in Lenasia and had to get up early at 5.30am and travel to
their schools via Fordsburg where their parents ran a restaurant. Jeetesh was aware that his
parents sacrificed a lot for him and his sister to receive a private school education.
Mrs Orford was his first teacher and he made friends with Rowan Brewer and Mark Egan who
was originally from the UK and whose father was a teacher at the school
Jeetesh really enjoyed his time at St David’s meeting different kinds of people from all levels of
society, both black and white. He was also exposed to many things such as leadership and
development programmes, youth groups, other schools and was on the Sandton junior council
which he wouldn’t have experienced elsewhere. There were also the extra murals and more
opportunities in sport and academics and the teaching was better. However one rather took it
for granted whilst one was involved in it.
During his time in the high school there were a number of headmasters, Brother Anthony for a
short while then, Mr Freilich, Boswell and Paul Davies. Other teachers were a Brother who
taught Technical Drawing and who wore a white cassock with a western province T shirt
underneath. Br Julian who would, unsolicited, interrupt a class and talk about random things,
much to the annoyance of the other teachers. Mr Oliver, Maths was a great teacher if you were
good at the subject, Mrs Hughes, English, Mr Girdwood, English whom he enjoyed and who
helped him with his public speaking. He also remembers Mrs Marais with fondness. Mrs
Madison the librarian, he spent a lot of time in the library as he often had to stay late waiting to
be collected. He remembers her always saying put the books “on the table not the trolley”.
Jeetesh was not very good at sport and was a reluctant participant. He played hockey, cricket
and took part in athletics where he was reasonably good. He hated swimming and still does to
this day.
Academically he did well receiving various awards, an honours blazer, academic and oratory
scrolls. He enjoyed public speaking and was involved in national competitions and today speaks
professionally at conventions and conferences. He remembers making speeches for Mrs
Bowles and Mrs Anderson, he was good at it and enjoyed it. In standard 2 he had to make a
speech about his favourite TV programme and talked about Spider Man. He learnt that it was
better to speak about things you knew and were comfortable with. Jeetesh also was in a
number of school plays and Benedict house plays.
There were 37 pupils in his matric year and 250 in the high school.
After matriculating, Jeetesh went to Wits University and studied for a BComm Hons and is
currently doing his masters. He was first employed by Absolute Consulting Group, a small
company and is now working on his own as an independent management consultant. Having
worked for large organizations he prefers working on his own.
The first reunion held in November 2012 was great and he met up with Andrew Rose (UK) and
Kieran Roane (UK) who together with Mark Egan he often meets up with in the UK when he is
there. He is still in touch with Thabo Hermanus who he sees when he is in Cape Town. Jeetesh
is in contact with a number of boys through MOBS.
As to any sons he may have, Jeetesh would like them to have a private school education but
preferably at a school which didn’t have a strong religious influence. Being a Hindu he
sometimes was forced to participate whilst at St David’s which depended very much on who
was teaching Religious Education at the time.
Jeetesh chooses a different charity each year and either donates or contributes in some way
and does this in his private capacity.
Jeetesh would be very interested in participating in the 2016 celebrations.
JLE February 2013

Jason began his career at St David’s in grade 1, 1974; he had spent grade 0 at St Teresa’s as
there was then no grade 0 at St David’s. There was a break when in standard 6 his family went
to the UK for 9 months but he returned to St David’s until he matriculated in 1985.
Jason remembered his grade 1 teacher Mrs Busschau, being very proud of his uniform and
standing in front of the fountain where his parents took photos. The first boy he met was Gary
De Necker who followed him in. He recalls Mr Castle who was a hard task master and ensured
the boys got very involved in sport.
Jason wasn’t very competitive but was in the U11 cricket team which got to the final of some
tournament playing against schools such as Pridwin and KES. In standard 5 he was in the
Commonwealth team which beat St Stithians where Jason took a memorable 8 wickets. Some
boys were also selected for the area cricket team.
Jason was also involved in swimming, tennis, athletics and soccer. His tennis doubles partner
was a boy named Lipschitz who ranked in the top 4 in the country, needless to say they did well
together. The school was small and the boys were encouraged to take part in all sports. Jason
recalled going on a number of tours and one in standard 5 was very exciting in that that they
flew to Durban when they played against St Henry’s. In high school in standard 8 he was
selected to play for Transvaal and has a photo in the school yearbook. Sport was a big thing
and the camaraderie that was born of it. In standard 9 he was selected to play for the 1st team
rugby but sadly only played 2 – 3 games as he was concussed and out of the game for the next
4 – 5 weeks.
The teachers that stand out in the prep school were Mrs Kempster, Schaafsma, Anderson,
Kenesovitch and Mrs Napier who had a heart attack at the school. In the high school there was
Trudy Elliott, the English teacher who produced the school play – “Julius Caesar”; Tom
Macfaden who taught History, was a fantastic man and typical school master.
Jason was involved with the school plays and the Marist co-workers and was instrumental in its
early formation being the first chairman. The boys went out to poorer schools and communities
and took blankets, clothing and food that they had collected. Jason was also on the junior city
council in 1984.
Boy’s schools were mainly judged by their performance on the rugby field but St David’s had a
good balance between rugby and cultural activities, everyone did everything because it was
such a small school.
He recalled some usual boys’ nonsense when someone climbed into the roof above the ceiling
of the biology laboratory during a lesson and played God, Brother Plesters was teaching at the
time.
Academically Jason did well and was always in the top 3 throughout prep and high school and
was awarded academic colours with an 80% average. He received a tie and scroll, was
awarded full colours for cricket, rugby and merit and elected vice head boy.
On his last day, he remembers everyone signing each other’s shirts, water and a pool being
involved and an end of school party. He wasn’t sad because he knew he would see his school
mates again.
After matriculating, Jason was fortunate enough to get a bursary from Barlow Rand and went to
Wits University where he studied for a BCom and BCom Accounting, eventually becoming a CA
doing his articles with Deloitte and Touche. On qualifying he was then employed by the Barlow
Rand Group at IBM, becoming the youngest manager and then moved on to Dimension Data in

1998. He is currently COO of Dimension Data Global.
      Jason feels that one becomes more appreciative of your school, its history and traditions as you
      get older. He has fond memories of the school being small but still managing to upset some of
      the bigger schools in competitive sport. The school has become bigger but has improved and is
      more competitive both sporting and academically.
      The friendships he made are still important to him today; friendships made then were made for
      life. He recently summited Kilimanjaro with Rob Scott who was in prep school with him .He is
      still in touch with Sasha Martinegro; Brett Dykes; Kevin Moran (US); Kevin Schaafsma even
      though they didn’t go to the same university.
      Jason is the father of two daughters but, if he had a son he most certainly would have been a
      pupil at St David’s. Jason is a member of MOBS and has been to some anniversaries
      celebrating 10 and 20 years and would be interested in participating in a reunion in 2015.
      He would be happy to be involved more and with such events as the matric rite of passage and
      would be willing to lend Dimension Data’s name to school fund raising activities. He commented
      that a number of old boys are putting up their school photos on Facebook. He would like to have
      access to the yearbooks for his time at St David’s and offered a number of suggestions as to
      how we could facilitate this.
      JE August 2012

Interview with Heather Joseph – Staff - 1975 to 2019
Heather began her teaching career at St David’s in 1975 at the tender age of 19. Brother
Timothy who took over from Br Anthony as headmaster was a close family friend and offered
her a teaching post.
One of Heather’s fondest early memories is that of the staff celebrating her 21st with champagne
during break in the staff room and she remembers going back to the classroom to teach slightly
tipsy!
When she joined St David’s, the school was very small, the boarding had closed, the junior
school had its own staffroom and they were provided with a lunch in what is now the committee
room, formerly the Brothers dining room. There was unity between the junior and high schools
and Heather taught in both, through the grades up until standard 8. At one time she taught the
Art class from the junior school through to matric in the high school with talented pupils such as
Christian Zimelke and Gregor Schafer.
Heather remembers George Manolios fondly. He was junior school headmaster having taken
over when Mrs Kempster retired in 1974. He was a wonderful head, very kind, supportive, who
encouraged his staff and was well liked. Mr Murphy took over the headmastership of both
schools in 1982 and, once he was exposed as a wrestler was replaced by Mr Frielich, then
Darryl Boswell and in 1989 Paul Davies was appointed headmaster of the high school and Greg
Royce headmaster of the prep school.
In 1989 Heather moved to Durban and upon her return in 1993 she rejoined the staff and is still
teaching Art in the prep school. In the interim Annika Carter had been appointed as the Art
teacher in the high school and Heather carried on class teaching and with great determination
and motivation built up the Art programme in the prep school. She organises an annual art
exhibition for the prep school boys and produces some amazing work. Without her artistic skills
some of the sets for the prep school plays and musical events would not be so inspired.
Heather has always been actively involved in the school and was a class teacher for grades 3,
4, 5 and 6 and for standards 8 and 9 and Art for standard 10. At times she was very involved
with soccer and did a course in the game and in refereeing. She scored for cricket, ran the
school swimming galas and did the announcing, she also organised the compilation and
publication of the school magazine for ten years and organised the matric dances. She went on
several soccer tours and remembers the tour to Durban staying at the Maharani with Willy
Castle, Carol Ansell and Terry O’Mahony. Then another tour to East London travelling by train
and she recalled that Glenda Anderson always went along too.
Some sad occasions were when Father Plestus, Monsignor and chaplain died and when
George Manolius left.
Staff she remembers are Br Aidan the bursar who was very kind, Ann Carpenter, Audrey
Williams the secretary, Nancy Buckley-Jones the matron who had a doberman called Lola, Mary
Ryan the matron who followed her, Pru Johnson a secretary whose son Simon became head
boy and Gail McEwan.
When the Brothers ran the school it was unbelievable, the ethos of humility and simplicity was
strong, the staff very supportive and they respected one another. Heather also liked Paul Edey
and felt that he brought a new dynamic to the school.
Heather has taught so many boys and remembers many but some standout such as the
Dedecker boys, Lucykx boys, Stephan Andradie, Siphiso Ngwenya – the first black Head Boy,
Greg and Jason Zenopolis and Christian Zimelka.
Outside of school and her outreach activities there, Heather is involved with animal welfare, the
SPCA and the Irwin Dog Rescue Centre.
JE 2012

Greg Royce 1989 to 1995 Greg was deputy head at St Martin’s until March 1989 before being appointed as
prep headmaster at St David’s. He and his wife Pam were very touched as staff held a welcome lunch at the
tennis courts.
Greg stated that the school was running well despite the lack of a headmaster for so many years. The only
problem he found was that each person was doing their own thing instead of sharing ideas with each other.
His first task was to formalise things and found that he got on well with the staff and that they accepted him.
He always got on very well with Willy Castle and, on one particular occasion Willy wanted a meeting with Greg.
A date and time was duly arranged but Willy didn’t pitch, Greg found out later that Willy and Carol Ansell were
having lunch together and that Willy had forgotten about the meeting!
Greg worked well with his deputy, David Spence. David had a flair for implementing Greg’s many ideas and
worked hard to implement the thinking skills and helped arrange for Dr Edward de Bono to visit St David’s.
Under Greg’s guidance St David’s became the first school to introduce Kumon in South Africa. The nursery
schools were also asked not to concentrate on table top activities but rather to concentrate on gross and fine
motor activities. Greg was also instrumental in introducing remedial therapy, occupational therapy and speech
therapy into the school. He also encouraged the reintroduction of music into the curriculum. Working with Paul
Davies proved difficult at times due to Paul being very dogmatic but on the whole they worked well together.
Paul introduced the house system and he brought more formality to proceedings. Greg felt that the prep
should be represented on the board and wrote a letter requesting prep representation. This was a slow
process and took about 2 years before Greg was allowed to attend and address prep issues.
Greg always found the parents warm and supportive but unfortunately they always compared St David’s to St
John’s or St Stithian’s. The one thing the parents didn’t take into account was that the fees were substantially
lower than these other schools so the school didn’t have the funds and thus it was difficult to compete with
them. The prep pavilion was built during Greg’s stay at St David’s. Greg had budgeted for a double garage to
be built to house equipment but once the parents saw the building in progress, they willing gave money and so
the whole project expanded and a concrete slab was laid to provide for a first floor. The school expanded into
3 streams per grade, which made St David’s more competitive and also provided more capital for projects.
As regards the board, Greg felt that Terrence Wilkinson was an excellent chairman. He brought
professionalism into the board and the school started to flourish under his guidance. The PTA also played a
huge part in school life. One major project was when they erected the roof over the stands surrounding the
pool under the chairmanship of Mike O’Shea. Greg decided to leave St David’s in March 1995 because he
was offered a very good package from St Peter’s and with a growing family this was important as was the fact
that Greg was an anglican and of course St David’s was a catholic school.
Greg has fond memories of St David’s as their third child, Liam, was born while Greg was headmaster here.
Liam enjoyed the life at school and a familiar sight was Liam being pushed around the campus in his pram.
Greg loved his time at St David’s where he worked hard and played hard! He started the potjiekos competition
which still takes place, as well as the staff christmas ‘thank you’ party. Greg enjoyed his wine but also loved
the bush and nature. He encouraged the school to plant indigenous trees and also took groups of boys on
camps into the bush. Greg loved animals and encouraged the staff to look after the birds and animals in the
birdcage in the prep playground. The guinea fowl on the property had chicks but one got isolated and was
struggling to survive so Greg put it in the birdcage for protection because he felt it would not survive outside.
He, unfortunately, had to release the bird due to huge pressure, but as suspected, the bird was killed on the
first day that it was released!
In closing Greg stated that he enjoyed his time at St David’s and has fond memories. He also enjoyed working
with the Brothers and meeting the other Marist Heads. January 2011

Interview with Greg Boyes-Varley 1973
Greg and his two brothers were day boys at St David’s living as they did behind the school in
Second Avenue. The family lived in Cape Town and Zimbabwe until 1966 when Greg joined the
school in march in standard 2. Coming from Zimbabwe Greg didn’t understand Afrikaans and
his teacher, Mrs Michael organised extra lessons for Greg with Mrs.Kenesovitch. Brother
Anthony was head of the high school and other Brothers such as Br Andrew, Br Aidan (bursar),
Br Bosco (Mario), Br Timothy, Br Dennis, Br Ronald and Br Ezekiel were still teaching.Br
Ezekiel was a brilliant Maths teacher and taught extra Maths on a Sunday declaring that that
was more important than going to Mass.
Greg had a tough time at school and was teased, because of a speech impediment and injury to
his face. He was playing on a trampoline when his leg got caught and his face was badly
damaged by a broken coke bottle. Mr Owen-Smith a plastic and maxillo- facial surgeon
operated on Greg and due to this he was determined to become a maxillo-facial surgeon
himself. Greg went to the Wits Speech and Hearing Therapy unit and eventually overcame his
speech impediment and now speaks at conventions and deals with patients confidently.
Greg recalled Nassey Simaan, the popular rugby coach who had no favourites and chose his
teams by selecting the boys he felt had guts. To be selected Greg had to tackle one of the boys
and he chose a big boy from standard 5 who always teased him. He flattened him and when
Nassy asked him to show the other boys how to tackle he selected the same boy again and
annihilated him once more. The boy never teased Greg again after that.
Greg’s father was a very active member of the St David’s community, was on the PTA, was
chairman and helped commission the building of the McGregor oval. He also used to organise
all the fathers and sons cricket matches and arranged for some English cricketers, Don Williams
and Peter Stringer to come and coach cricket at the school.
Greg remembered a day at the end of standard 8 during Nuffield week when he was playing at
leg slip and was hit squarely on the head with the cricket ball. The other boys made him get up
and he carried on taking 8 wickets. Patrick Quarmby was particularly kind and supportive.
The new Science lab has just been built and Greg remembers some experiments which blew
holes in the ceiling.
There was an African compound next to the white house where Mr Scott lived and the boys
used to buys cigarettes from the staff.
Anthony Bartlett (now living in Belgium) was the DJ for all the parties they organised with each
boy taking a turn to have a party on saturday night. Legally the boys couldn’t drink, even when
they went to university as they were all 17.
Academically Greg did well, became a prefect, got his university pass for matric and went on to
study Dentistry at Wits University. It was the last year of the JMB matric.
Greg remembers St David’s as being a great school where he made some good friends and in
his subsequent dealings with boys from local schools he thinks the St David’s boys are the most
humble.
He feels that it was a big mistake to close the boarding and then to replace the JMB matric with
the TED version. That was when a large number of boys left the school and went mainly to St
John’s.
Greg would have liked his son to go to St David’s but the family left to go the UK from 1994 until

1997. When they returned Oliver was in standard 1 and when they applied the then principal of
      the prep Mr Royce’s secretary was extremely rude and said there was no place for him. Oliver
      then went to St John’s and then on to Michaelhouse. Rees Carr’s father Ronnie who was
      coaching cricket intervened but by then it was too late. Greg was very sorry that his son didn’t
      go to St David’s but the experience he and his wife had in the UK was very good and he learnt a
      lot whilst at King’s hospital. Greg now practises at the Morningside Clinic and often lectures
      overseas and has written a number of articles. He is currently mentoring Etienne Raffner (2003)
      a dentist,doing a 5th year.
      Greg has been to two MOB’s dinners pre 1994 and is on the mailing list.
      Greg would like to get involved in an advisory capacity especially with boys who would like to go
      into medicine.
      He is touch with many of his old colleagues and remarked on the fact that St David’s has
      produced many doctors.
      Paul Sutej – Professor of Rheumatology in the US.
      Ian Jones – Dentist
      Bruce Potgieter – son in Matric 2011
      Etienne Raffner -2003 – dentist
      Daniel Shepherd – intern at Bara
      Glen Jones
      Peter Rossini
      Desmond Schatz
      Paul Sutej
      Michael Ross – vet Kyalami
      JE – July 2012

Interview with Gordon Tonetti – 1986
Gordon came to St David’s in 1974 going into grade 1 in the same classroom where Carol Ansell now
teaches. Carol taught him together with Heather Joseph, Willy Castle, Mrs Schaafsma and Mrs Napier. Mrs
Napier who taught him in standard 2 to 3 would throw her blackboard duster at you if you talked in class.
Gordon admits to belonging to a naughty crowd, didn’t do much studying and was often jacked by Willy
Castle and Terry O’Mahoney. In fact the boys used to compete to see who got the most jacks! Mr Murphy
was the headmaster in standard 6 but didn’t last long and Br Anthony came back for a term before Mr
Frielick was appointed. Gordon’s group was the smallest matric group in years.
Gordon’s father was a former pupil of St David’s and vice head boy matriculating in 1954, and Gordon’s
grandfather attended a Marist school overseas. His father recalled when at the age of 6, he was put on a
train in Barberton and was told he would be met by one of the Brothers at the Johannesburg station. He
arrived but no-one was there to meet him, eventually a policeman spotted him and asked him why he was
there alone. The policeman called his family in Barberton who then contacted the school and at long last
one of the Brothers arrived to collect him.
Gordon was a good sportsman and was awarded 5 scrolls for athletics and rugby and captained a few
teams . He played 1st team rugby throughout his high school career and was a member of the A and B
swimming teams, but didn’t play cricket. In standard 5 the school had a strong rugby team but sadly many
of its members left and went to St John’s whilst Br Timothy was headmaster. Gordon loved the athletics
and the long distance running, he held the long distance record in his time and regrets not having been
pushed further as he could have done a lot better. He has started running again recently.
Mark Reeves’s sister was a swimming coach, a tough battleaxe and Mrs Mah, another coach would see a
storm coming up but wouldn’t let the boys leave the pool. On one occasion lightening struck where the
clock tower now stands, hitting a line of wattle trees, a third of one tree was split and came crashing down.
Mrs Mah screamed like crazy to get the boys out of the pool.
He recalled that if a fight started in the playground during break the boys would move the fight to the 1st
team rugby field but as soon as the boys saw any teachers they all disappeared.
When sport finished Gordon would use the tickey (phone) box, call his home and just say “pick up”, put the
phone down immediately and thus had the call for free. The schooling was different back then and Gordon
wasn’t awarded an honours blazer but was given an open scroll for athletics in standard 9.
Sondiwe Nyirenda and his brother were enrolled in 1975 as the first black boys in the school. A good
sportsman, he and Gordon became good friends but they sadly lost touch after he left in standard 5.
Gordon’s younger brother Trevor was sent from St David’s to CBC Pretoria as Gordon had a run in with
Trudy Elliott.
Gordon was academically average but enjoyed his school career. In high school Gordon was taught by P.
Collier, Ms Howard, Mr Moore, Mr Kaliphy, Mr McFadden and Br Ephrem taught Science. Father Brewer
was the chaplain, a very nice man who was very involved with the boys.
Gordon remembers an Afrikaans camp in standard 4 and a camp at Golden Gate in standard 5. In standard
9 there was the religious camp but because of problems with the non-catholic camp at Hartbeespoort the
catholic boys camp was very controlled and not much fun.
Gordon regrets the fact that corporal punishment is no longer allowed and felt that it played a significant
role in the discipline of the boys.
As it was an all boy’s school the boys had no contact with girls except for every two years when they
participated in a school play with St Teresa’s. Nowadays the boys aren’t as awkward around girls as they
were then.
After matriculating, Gordon attended the technikon for a diploma in engineering, which involved studying for
6 months and working for 6 months. After gaining his diploma he did his military service and then went
overseas for a couple of years. On his return he bought his business from his father. It was a very shaky
period for the business at the time but he pulled it through and the company did well.
Gordon is married to Helen and his son Liam attends St David’s, currently in grade 5. Gordon wasn’t too
sure about the school but Rick Wilson convinced him it was the school for his sons. The school has
changed a lot for the better from the time Gordon was a pupil.
Gordon is a member of MOBS and is currently a member of the MOBS committee.
JLE November 2014
NB Gordon has photos from his father’s time at the school in the 50’s

Interview with Gilbert Pooley – 2001
Gilbert came to St David’s in standard 6 and stayed until he wrote his matric in standard 10.
This was the time when Paul Edey was headmaster. Paul had a real presence and influence in
the school and Gilbert was a big fan of his, he was a traditional, charismatic leader and put his
stamp on the school. He built a personal relationship with the boys and still taught History, his
passion was clearly teaching and education and he was an inspiring teacher. He had a way of
making a boy feel as if he were the centre of attention. Both positively and negatively he used
this technique in the classroom turning every lesson it into an engaging performance. The
school was still relatively small in 2001 with a matric group of 75 boys.
During Gilbert’s tenure the school underwent a massive transformation with the new
Champagnat hall, the high school pavilion (before this was built the boys had to change for
sport’s practice on the side of the field) and library.
On his first day he recalls lining up on the basketball courts (currently the amphitheatre) in front
of Paul Edey and head boy, Adriano Iorio, who was wearing his honours blazer, Gilbert was so
struck by Adriano in his techno-coloured formal attire that he was unsure whether Adriano was a
radical, teacher or well awarded pupil But there was no doubt that this young man in his odd
uniform was an adult, and one’s time at St David’s would change one from being the little boy
entering standard 6 (grade 8) into a man.
Gilbert played hockey and cricket and valued the enforced culture of all boys participating,
which was healthy and assisted in the development of many personal relationships.
Gilbert participated in drama performing in one-act plays as well as the school’s annual
productions. He was also very involved in debating, public speaking and chess, as the school
grew it became more competitive in those areas. He really enjoyed the cultural aspect although
it was perceived as a sideline to sport and, nerdy. There was still no high school choir or Music
department. He feels that many of those cultural activities formed him even though today he
works in business; it gave him self-confidence and the ability to present himself in a positive
light. He is very grateful for that and proud that it has developed within the school and believes
that it is a huge differentiator in later life.
The staff who made a special contribution to the cultural aspects of the school during his period
were Mr Foulds, Mrs Cameron and Ms Voorendyck (then Ms Vroom).
Opportunities to meet girls in the school environment rarely presented themselves. One such
opportunity was the first dramatic collaboration with neighbouring girls’ school Brecia House
(“The Boyfriend” in 2000 and “As You Like It” in 2001). This started the trend towards more
accessible and popular school plays, which continues today.
As at many boys’ schools he recalls the desire to meet girls was matched only by rampant
homophobia. The fact that several of his contemporaries later “came out of the closet” once they
had matriculated from St David’s is not missed.
Reverend Bruce, more than most teachers, characterised his time at St David’s, Gilbert was a
member of Bishops and the Rev was appointed his class tutor. Rev had a different philosophy
and approach. Gilbert, as all boys from his era, recalls being scolded by Rev for inappropriate
use of the word “sorry”. He brought a brand of pastoral care which was firm but comical and his
departure from the school to New Zealand was a loss.
Gilbert’s mother Bonny was involved in the tuck shop, hockey and many parent committees and
events. She was close to stalwarts such as matron, Mary Ryan, Mary von Guilleaume and
Father Michael. She taught Religious Education briefly, preparing boys for their confirmation, as
well as helping with MOBS.
There was another not so positive aspect of St David’s life at the time - the influence of a group
of boys in the 2000 matric group. They were seen as a little “Mafia”. They caused plenty of
internal trouble and had an unfortunate effect on the school’s reputation. Their little rule of terror
bred an unhealthy rivalry with other boys’ schools during this period.
Gilbert participated in the co-workers which was run by Rev Bruce and joined in the collections
for the old age home, planted a park in Soweto and was involved in civies days raising money.
This set a trend in Gilbert’s life of getting involved with social development. Whilst he was at
UCT he volunteered for SHAWCO and currently, together with Andrew Levy he runs “Umuzi
Photo Club” a youth development organisation which focuses on using the creative arts to
engage young people and to raise awareness with a goal of effecting positive change in
communities such as Diepsloot, Alexandra and Hillbrow. Umuzi pairs the young people and
media professionals with the aim of creating active compelling media for change. They will be
hosting an exhibition in Braamfontein from 29 March 2012 entitled “I am an Activist” focusing on
three communities and their problems.
Gilbert feels that the war cry reflects the sentiment of Marist Inanda –
Matrics : Kalamazumba
School: WA WA
M: Kalamazumba
S: CHA CHA
M: SEMISAKA WAKA WA
S: SEMISAKA WAKA WA
M: CHA WA
All: M.A.R.I.S.T. MARIST INANDA!
Gilbert left St David’s to study at UCT, and completed 4 years Business Science, he then went
to Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland where he completed his Masters in Economics. He joined the
Boston Consulting Group in London as a management consultant which included working for
some SA clients. He was instrumental in opening a BCG office in Johannesburg in 2011 but he
left BCG in 2011 and is now running his own company offering strategy consulting to clients in
resources (mining, oil and gas).
He sees a positive change in expectations at the school; in his time he felt less pressure to
strive for excellence and in academics, which now appears to be more important. There is more
of a performance culture at the school today.
In 2003 Gilbert had the opportunity while holidaying with his family in Rome. Gilbert had the
opportunity to attend the canonization of Marcellin Champagnat, it gave him a sense of the
international presence of Marist schools. He reflects that there appears to be no opportunities
for greater inter-action between Marist schools in South Africa.
JE February 2012

Interview with Gianni Mariano – Parent - Foundation 2006 to date
Although Gianni was not a pupil at St David’s, he is a Marist old boy having attended Marist Brothers
Observatory Prep School before going on to Highlands North Boys High School. He loved the Marist
school but due to a question of economics and his parents’ wishes he joined Highlands North where after a
successful and rewarding school career, he matriculated in 1978.
Gianni has two sons who are St David’s pupils; Gianpaolo who matriculated in 2009 was house captain of
The Bishops, prefect and recipient of the Osmond trophy for academics, leadership and sport. His younger
son Francesco has just been elected head boy for 2014. His daughter attended St Theresa’s where she
was head girl, and is currently doing her internship at the Johannesburg General Hospital.
Gianni’s connections with the Marist education and ethos are very strong and he yearned for a Marist
education for his sons.
Gianni has been a member of the board of the St David’s Foundation’s since its inception in 2006, was
chairman of the development fund then the board of St Theresa’s for about 10 years. He also lectures at
Vega and is a trustee of the Mercy Sisters of South Africa.
Gianni acknowledged the changes St David’s has undergone over the years, in its physical structure and
various other aspects but believes the core essence of the school has remained and become possibly even
stronger. The Marceliin ethos is still relevant, real, and effective and of great value to many people even
though the school is no longer managed by the Brothers. His children have learnt about life in a very
relevant way and he feels that it has been a privilege for both himself and his children.
Gianni has found his involvement and the work he has done for the Foundation to be very rewarding and
fulfilling.
After his son matriculates in 2014, Gianni intends to continue with his involvement in the School’s activities.
Gianni started his successful business – Mastrantonio, the restaurant and franchise business in 1966.
JLE December 2013

Interview with George Lagoudis – 1957
George was a boarder from 1949 until 1957 and enjoyed his time at the school. His cousin Theo
Ananiades from Lorenzo Marques in Mozambique was the head of College House. The Saheti
school did not exist in those days.
Brother Edwin was the headmaster who ruled with an iron fist and was extremely conservative.
He was appointed Brother Provincial in 1957 and Br Benedict succeeded him as headmaster.
Br Benedict was a good man, housemaster for the A & B dormitories, he coached rugby and
was involved with sport at the school. Br Benedict had a more reasonable and modern
approach which was not understood by the boys and often abused.
The Brothers were clever teachers such as Br Ephraim who understood a lot of things and
taught Maths, Science and Latin and caned a whole class on one occasion.Br Bonaventure
taught Latin at matric level, Br Bartholemew taught Geography using humour to make his
lessons more interesting, he later became the principal of Koch Street. Br Lawrence was a nice
man who spoke a little Greek. Br Ralph, a big man helped with sport and specifically 1st team
rugby and showed the boys a lot of techniques. Br Gerald was in charge of the dormitories. Br
Charles Andrew Cowen was from America, presented himself to Br Edwin in his Saturday
clothes and was sternly reprimanded and told to don his cassock immediately. He had an
America approach to education which was at odds with the blinkered, regimental South African
model. Mrs Kempster in the prep was very strict but always had the best results at the end of
the year. It was nothing for her to strap the whole class 2 or 3 times a day – 10 and 11 year old
boys don’t concentrate well for too long.
Br Anthony got his nickname “Oanges” when George was sitting outside the dining room one
day playing with oranges. Br Anthony commented on this, hence the nickname.
George recalled that in his time there were about 70 boys to a class housed in the old study
beneath the old Chapel. Students always rebelled against the teachers and there was an
incident when one of the boys got hold of a cassock and bib and displayed it high up near the
water tower.
George was a thin, sinewy little boy and there was a big chap who bullied him until, one day he
came out of the dining room and in response to some comment, George swung around and
gave him a crack on his jaw and both of them ended up with bloody noses but the bullying
stopped. It was a difficult time for George because of the timing of the Cypriot campaign and he
was often singled out being the only Greek, with is nickname being “Greekie”. Because of this
he and Buchman, a German who was also bullied became friends. Other friends were Anton
Zunkel (North Transvaal) and Brian Jeffries (Durban).
There wasn’t much in the way of cultural activities but Mr Drummond-Bell did organize the boys
to sing the “Ave Maria” at the city hall. There was also a production of the “Pirates of Penzance”
but George’s voice had broken by this time. George remembers one debate against Obs where
the topic of whether the radio was needed or not was discussed. There was also the occasional
debate against Parktown Girls at their school.
On a Sunday, the non-catholic boys used to walk to the Church of England church, St Martin’s
in the Fields escorted by Father Bannon in his car. The boarders used to get one weekend off at
month end and visiting Sunday was every other Sunday of the month from 2pm until 6pm. The
food wasn’t bad but there was a lot of competition for the day boys’ sandwiches.
The boarders had lockers, George’s was number 807. The locker rooms were next to each
dorm which had 44 beds in each with a sleeping area, washrooms and the area where the
Brothers slept. In the middle were the racks for towels and gowns. One day after tea he
changed to go to the rugby field and a boy threw an orange which splattered all over George’s
locker and took Br Bartholemew’s glasses off.
The boys also stored their tuck in their lockers, which were not locked. Brian Jeffries used to
raid George’s locker and George responded by placing brooklax which looked like smarties into
a smarties box. As a result Brian subsequently spent a lot of time in the toilet and thereafter no
longer raided George’s tuck!
George was a good athlete involved with long distance running and together with Brian Jeffries,
head boy, was awarded the victor ludorum . He also played rugby 3rds, did a little swimming
and played tennis. He recalled the cinder track where the prep playing fields now stand. The
track was used by the university and for school events. The school competed against Germiston
and Springs Boy’s High Schools both home and away.
There was no official matric dance in 1957 due to a misunderstanding between the boys and
the Brothers, however the boys saved the money themselves and had an evening dinner and
dance at a night club in Eloff Street instead.
There was an annual dance in June/July when the rubber floor in the boarders dining room was
used to facilitate the dancing. The Arthur Murray dance school taught the boys to dance.
A lot of emphasis was placed on sport and as a consequence, academic s suffered and George
had to repeat his matric at Damelin, a cram college. There were 30 -32 boys in his matric class.
On finishing his education, initially George worked behind the counter of Portas delicatessen
and found working with the public quite an education in itself. He worked as a representative for
Vaal Tobacco selling cigarettes and went into the air force, working during the day then putting
in his hours at Dunnotar air force base training school. Unfortunately he didn’t pass the exams
but then did a course in engineering drawing and spent several years as an engineering
draughtsman for EBS Metal which was the first company to produce lathes and small presses in
SA during the years of sanctions. Later he was offered a job with the Travena Group managing
a store in Springs and eventually bought his father’s business in 1970. His delicatessen Portas
– The Shunting Yard is now located in Sunninghil and he also sells model trains through a
German dealership.
George last visited St David’s about 30 years ago and his grandchildren attend the Saheti,
Greek school.
JLE February 2013

Interview – Gary Norton – Staff
Gary was a member of staff at St David’s from 1989 until 1996 when he was acting headmaster.
He then went to Oakhill in Knysna before returning to take up his current post as headmaster of
Marion College.
He recalls that his sons Ryan and Shaun, together with the Edey boys started cleaning up the
reservoir adding fish and feeding the ducks.
In 1994/5 there was a combined Biology/Geography trip for the grade 9’s (then standard 7) that
he made together with Father Brewer to Groot Marico. They used a farm as their base, it was
very wild and the boys had to make their own toilets and wash their utensils properly. Gary told
the boys that they had to have a knife and to make sure that they didn’t get hurt as there were
no facilities or anaesthetic if needed. On the Saturday, early evening he and Father Brewer
were relaxing when Gareth Simaan, Robbie Tait and Murray White came to them. Gareth said
Murray had cut his hand. Thinking that the boys were conning them, it didn’t look real, they told
them to go away. However, when they had a good look at the hand they saw how serious it
was. They bandaged him up as best they could, got on the bus and, with Father Brewer got to
Ventersdorp where they got directions to a doctor. They had to open a gate and two large
alsatians came running toward them, they managed to get past them and find the doctor who
wasn’t impressed saying “You guys from town don’t know anything”. So the hand was stitched
up without anaesthetic just as Gary had warned the boys!
There was another memorable trip to Hoedspruit, Blydepoort, also a Biology/Geography camp.
On the Sunday the boys were playing touch rugby by the pool and Bradley Geldenhuys
managed to break his foot. During this camp an impala was shot and the boys had to cut it up,
bleed it and make a potjie. They also went hunting as a part of a culling exercise. One of the
boys was stung by a scorpion, very venomous with urotoxic venom; fortunately they managed to
treat it. Bradley Geldenhuys then disappeared, at 3am, he saw a zebra and went to pat it and it
promptly kicked Bradley on the head. On leaving they had a chicken parade, checking no
rubbish was left behind when Bradley called out that he had seen something in the grass – Gary
promptly told them all to get on the bus!
On another occasion, one of the teachers, Robin Henderson took the grade 8 boys to the
weather station; he came back in tears as they had been so badly behaved. Gary summoned all
the boys and asked them to write down who was really naughty. He then dismissed the boys but
told them that if they had been naughty they should come to his classroom. Out of 75 boys, 72
went to his classroom and when he asked one of the smaller boys why he was there to get a
hiding, he replied that he thought he had better come just in case his name was on the list.
Another pupil, Kieran Rowan was diagnosed with leukaemia and Gary remembers telling him to
think that, like Pacman, his cells were gobbling up the cancer – he survived and is still alive.
On a Friday afternoons Gary would take some of the boys fishing and many of the naughty boys
would come along. Gary recalls asking one boy why his father never came and fished with him,
he replied that his father did spend one afternoon with him but told him he had given up
R15 000 he would have earned had he been working instead. Needless to say the boy didn’t
ask his father again.
Gary’s wife Alison is a prep school teacher at St David’s
JE August 2011

Interview with Gareth Kolkenbeck-Ruh – 2003
Gareth came to St David’s in 1999 from Rembrandt Park Primary School. Gareth’s father was a devout
catholic and Gareth had had experience of the school when it hosted various primary school sporting
events, and he liked what he saw.
He remembers that on his first day he was collected from the “Thatch” by prefects and taken to the
amphitheatre, he was overwhelmed by both the size of the prefects and that of the school. As he was the
only pupil coming from Rembrandt Park he didn’t know anyone but by the end of the day he began to fit it.
The grade 8 camp was a great ice breaker and initiative where he got to know everyone. After three days
the grade 8 boys went off to camp during their second week at St David’s. Belonging to a specific house
gave you an immediate identity and Gareth was selected for Osmond.
Initially the jump in academics was quite a shock but the teachers helped to make it manageable. It was at
first strange coming from a co-ed environment into a monastic one but by the end of the first term Gareth
was enjoying the change. He now firmly believes it to be a good thing to be in an all boys environment
during high school. He grew not only academically but learnt how to be a man in today’s society which he
appreciated enormously.
The teachers he remembers in particular are Shane Gaffney, Graeme McMillan who was at times quite
scary, Rod Smith, Colleen Kennedy and Paul Edey. They were good role models and one of the reasons
why Gareth has chosen teaching as his profession.
His last year as head boy was an unbelievable year as far as the sport was concerned. St David’s won the
Johnny Waite Cricket, had an unbeaten soccer side, and the rugby team beat KES and Jeppe on their
home territories for the first time. Gareth believes that, especially in a boys school, if the sport is going well
then the general school vibe reflects that and is good and positive.
Gareth had heard that the position of head boy was a lonely one, however he had massive support from his
peer group and, so far it was the most enjoyable year of his life. He had a good relationship with Paul Edey
and Malcolm Williams who took over the headship in 2003.
Gareth was captain of soccer and cricket teams and was awarded honours for soccer, cricket and general
honours.
He played provincial cricket U17 and U19 and had a professional contract with Wits University for one year
in 2003.
Academically, Gareth did very well and earned 3 A’s and 3 B’s in his matric. Dave Smith helped him to
catch up on the Geography syllabus in the matric year as Gareth needed the subject to enable him entry to
the USA. The teaching staff was always willing to go the extra mile for the boys. Gareth was awarded a
Champagnat Medal and won the Brother Edwin Award for Cricketer of the Year; the St David’s Marist old
Boys Soccer Trophy; the Desmond Schatz Trophy for Sportsman of the Year; the Old Boys Trophy for
Leadership and Promotion of the Marist Spirit and the Osmond Cup for study, sport and leadership.
After matriculating, Gareth went on a soccer scholarship to the US to Gannon University in Pennsylvania
for three and half years. He studied for a BA English and PGCE or Postgraduate Certificate in Education,
graduating Suma Cum Laude.. He was tempted to stay in the US but his family was still here in South
Africa and in the US the educational system is different and teachers don’t coach sport. He returned to
South Africa and taught English in the high school from 2008 -9 and went on to KES in 2010 and became
head of English there in 2012. He was appointed deputy head of the primary school at St David’s in 2014,
is learning a lot from Willy Castle with good systems in place.
Gareth was also instrumental in getting soccer up and running in the high school together with Shane
Gaffney in 2002 into 2003.
Gareth is an active member of MOBS .
JLE March 2014

Interview with Frank Cattich – 1969
Frank came as a boarder to St David’s in standard 8, 1966. He had previously been a pupil at St
Aidan’s in Grahamstown and had a bond with Br Aidan having been a pupil of his. St Aidan’s
was Jesuit and extremely strict so it was a relief to appreciate that St David’s was not quite so
rigid and more relaxed. It was also great to be closer to home as his parents lived in
Bedfordview.
Frank’s mother was an orphan who grew up with nuns in Rome and Frank remembers staying
in the grounds of the Vatican as a child. His mother sought out her mother in South Africa as
she wanted to know why she had abandoned her. Unfortunately this didn’t have a happy ending
as her mother a widow, her husband having been the owner of Valenti Construction, didn’t want
to know her daughter. She established that her father was an Italian prisoner of war and
eventually got to know Margo Moni and others with whom she lived together in the youth hostel.
He recalls his first encounter with Anthony Stanley was with a punch up on the rugby field and
they have been firm friends ever since. Mike Denopolius built the castle at Kyalami, now lives in
Marbella and his daughter recently married Chemaly’s son
Trevor Corie was a boarder who slept near Frank and about twice a month they would stuff their
beds with cushions, climb out the window onto the roof and through a chapel window en route to
the kitchen. They would raid the kitchen and, after midnight bring back the loot, cases of cool
drink, biscuits and sweets. There were a couple of dobermans that roamed around the school
but they never barked at them and Br Bosco used to patrol the dorms with his torch but never
caught them out. On one occasion they were in the kitchen, heard footsteps, one of the Brothers
had come down to make a cup of tea, all the lights went on and the boys hid behind the stove.
Trevor started to giggle and Frank’s heart stopped, thinking they were going to be caught, it
seemed like an eternity but they got away with it. Later the brothers put a padlock on the fridge
but undeterred the boys removed the pins from the hinges and still got in. During these raids the
boys accumulated hundreds of empty bottles which they stacked on the roof and only years
later were they found.
The boarders were used to plant the fields on the McGill- Love farm at the weekends.
Br Mario was unique and always seemed to be in conflict with the boys behaving rather like a
prison warden. He wasn’t unfair but the boys just didn’t like him. He once ordered Frank and
Trevor to bend over and Trevor refused, they weren’t guilty on this occasion. Br Mario just didn’t
know how to deal with them. Br Andrew “Drac”was very hard and Frank recalls being lashed on
his first day at lunchtime following a fist fight. One of the boys, Simon had been tormenting the
new boy Frank, shooting at him with a peashooter, Frank identified the culprit and let him have it
on the landing, unfortunately witnessed by Br Andrew. Br Michael was the rugby coach. Br
Anthony had a short memory and awarded Frank his honours blazer, which he never received
as his father refused to pay for it. He was awarded scrolls for athletics, rugby and merit; three
scrolls were required for honours, three months later Br Anthony, obviously wondering why
Frank wasn’t wearing an honours blazer re-awarded him his scrolls.
Frank played rugby and was 1st team captain in 1969 and recalls there was a blood feud
between Observatory and St David’s and there were some tough games. On one occasion he
remembers a painful experience playing against Jeppe when he was about to score, was ankle
tackled and fell a metre short of the line. Frank didn’t board for his last year but rode to and from
school on his motorcycle. He remembered that his brother had an operation to reconstruct his
nose which cost R10 000. Being fair his father offered him the same option but Frank decided to
keep his nose and save the money.
Frank was a November child and he believes that this contributed to him repeating his matric
year in 1969, together with Willy Castle. However, Frank was not good academically, was
motivated by material things and didn’t achieve a university pass. On leaving school Frank went
into the army and afterwards went to Europe where he met a German girl, a dental assistant. He
stayed with the family for four years before returning to South Africa and joined his father’s
company dealing in civil construction, earthworks and pipelines. He was an apprentice for 6 -7
years. His father didn’t believe in spoiling his children and Frank was the black sheep of the
family, with his brother and sister going on to university .Frank speaks fluent German and Italian
and has always been in business for himself spending 7 years in Switzerland and then he got
involved with a contract in Iraq which was a huge and exciting challenge. He was established in
Cyprus and all was going well until 9/11 when, due to sanctions nothing was allowed in or out of
Iraq. Following this disaster, Frank came back to South Africa and together with Investec Bank
launched Velocity, a company with technology imported from the UK to upgrade and maintain
the deteriorating roads in South Africa.
He is married to Sheena and is the father of three children, a son Maximillian, a pupil at St
David’s in grade 0 and twins a boy and girl.
Frank is an active member of MOBS.
JLE October 2012

Interview with Father Michael 1999 – 2007
At the end of 1998 Father Brewer had retired because of advancing lung cancer. Father Michael
had left Rivonia having completed a 10 year contract 1988 – 98 and was in London on long
leave in May 1998 staying at the Jesuit church, Farm Street when he was told that Father
Brewer had been diagnosed with terminal cancer. There were boys at St David’s whose families
were parishioners and he was sometimes invited to functions at the school. As he had always
liked the school, he offered his services and was accepted as chaplain.
He had taught in three Jesuit schools when younger and he prided himself that he never had to
use corporal punishment on the boys and always managed to subdue them with a look or a
tongue lashing. At St David’s he joined the RE department and taught RE to the matrics and
then to grade 8. It is difficult teaching a subject that is not counted for marks so this provided the
opportunity for some boys to misbehave. Also this teaching caused him to be regarded as a
teacher and member of staff rather than as chaplain and priest.
Father Michael considered that extra-curricular activities were important occasions to interact
with and get to know the boys, so he was involved with debating, public speaking and was time
keeper at the swimming galas and judged inter-house plays together with Julie Egenrieder. He
had a good relationship with Paul Edey.
After he had a knee replacement, he became rather unstable having no sideways movement
and boys like Greg Hammond would see him coming and clear a path for him. They were
spontaneous and protected him. He had a good relationship with a number of boys.
high school mass was held on Thursdays, before the chapel was built was celebrated in the
Champagnat hall on a table on the stage. There were volunteer teams to transfer the
requirements for mass to the hall and to return them to the sacristy afterwards. They were
faithful and utterly reliable.
He remembered Stuart Fould’s production of “Guards, Guards” by Terry Pratchett and felt
strongly that there really wasn’t any acting just a lot of shouting. Gareth Dry’s gift to the school
was instituting musicals of such a professional standard which revived interest and brought new
energy into the school. It was Paul Edey’s idea to get a musical component into the school and
the musical for 2006 was “West Side Story” with David Schneider taking the male lead role and
managing the aria when Maria is dying. It’s a very difficult aria and without, any musical
background, David pulled it off. Father Michael found it very emotional and was very involved.
In 2007, Gareth Dry approached him with the request to put on a musical “Jesus Christ
Superstar” and asked him if he would have any objection to such a controversial musical. Father
Michael said he would use the occasion to catechise on the gospel events to instruct the boys.
He and Gareth were on the same wavelength and at no stage did he have to say this is
inappropriate. However a former pupil, Deneys Williamson living in the States sent an email
complaining about the musical. Father Michael decided to ignore it and the irony was that his
younger brother Alex Williamson played one of the high priests in the show. Kylo Molefe played
Jesus Christ and found the part to be very emotional for him and for the cast. It was also difficult
for a boy like Kylo to be head boy but he had the support and the ability to handle it.
Father Michael is rather proud of the organ that was donated to the school for use in the new
Chapel of Mary. It is apparently one of the best organs in any school in Johannesburg if not in
the country. He thought it would be appropriate for it to be used for recitals and mentioned
Cameron Upchurch (St John’s) who is teaching a number of boys to play and also plays the
organ at the university church on a Sunday.
JE August 2011

Interview with Eric Annegaarn – board Member 1998 – 2004
Eric, whose son Bjorn was a pupil at St David’s and matriculated in 2002, was a member of the board of
governors from 1998 and was elected chairman for 2003 and 2004, taking over from Tony Reilly.
Eric used to question “Why do so many non-Catholic parents wish to enrol their sons at St David’s, a
Catholic school?” which gained a lot of momentum with the “Beyond Our Gates” project and motivated Rick
Wilson to encourage Eric to join the board. When Eric resigned from the board, Tony Chappell took over
the reins.
Eric’s priority was to speed up the process and to get rid of some of the formalities. He aimed to revitalise
the board which he felt had become moribund. The board got tied up with all sorts of issues including ethics
and overseas tours. Eric set up committees to which much of this work was delegated and the board could
then make decisions without long discussions and debate late into the night. Janet Seeland and Father
Michael were members of the committee debating the issue of school tours, the cost to the individual,
fundraising activities, levies on school fees etc.
Projects such as the astro turf and the chapel took ages. Issues such as to whether the school was
regarded as a charitable institution and, in that case were donations tax free? The board also had to report
to the IEB, the government’s Department of Education and to Rome and now to the Marist Schools Council.
The board had to continue a relationship with the Marist Brothers in Rome and various important issues
came up such as who owned the school property and where were the Title Deeds?
Eric had a good relationship with Paul Edey who was not an administrator. When Paul was made executive
headmaster Malcolm Williams was appointed Headmaster.
Eric worked at the school with Paul Edey four days a week from 4.00 until 8.00pm with Rob Smith heading
the development committee.
The planning for the Foundation which took an enormous amount of time was during Eric’s tenure as
chairman of the board and the re-naming of the school which also involved a lot of time and debate.
JLE March 2015

Interview with Emma Sithole – Staff – 1982 to date
At the age of 28, Emma joined the support staff of St David’s as Head Cleaner. She was interviewed by
Willem Van Der Merwe and reported to him. She also used to cook for the brothers when Richard or
Mjomle were away.
In those days the committee room was the brothers dining room and the staff workroom was the kitchen
and pantry. The original walk in fridge is still in existence in the tuck shop kitchen. The tuck shop was the
mothers’ kitchen and catering equipment was stored there. The current administration offices were
originally the brothers’ chapel, kitchen and dining room.
The brothers’ lunch usually consisted of soup followed by fruit. Later when Julius was away Emma would
prepare sandwiches for the brothers and staff.
Emma didn’t live on the school premises as she had six children to care for and lived in Alexandra
Township. Life was not easy for her bringing up her children during difficult and different times.
In 1991 Emma took over from Julius, cleaning the tuck shop, helping the mothers and working together with
Enoch Mhlongo. Mrs Van Guilleaume ran the tuck shop and the ladies entertainment committee with Victor
Shibambu joining the staff later.
Over the years Emma saw a lot of changes with Shelly Watson coming in then Jon Jon Dry. The tuck shop
now not only caters for the staff everyday and for individual functions but also provides meals on a daily
basis for some of the boys. Emma still makes the sandwiches and some salads for the staff. She misses
Shelly who retired last year and regarded her as a friend and mentor who took care of her.
When Emma retires she would very much like to help and do the cooking for an orphanage near her home
looking after the children with no parents and some that have aids.
Emma retired in 2015
JLE 2014

Interview with Earl Morais – 1989
Earl came to St David’s with his brother in 1980 as their parents wanted them to have a good education. As
far as he is aware they were the first coloured boys to be admitted to the school. His brother Kurt started in
grade 0 and Earl in standard 2 with Mrs Hayley as his first teacher. The boys both started a week late after
the school term had begun and were interviewed by Mr Manolios.
It was quite a culture shock for Earl with only one black pupil, Siphiso, in his class having come from a coeducational
environment into a monastic one. Compared to his previous school, he found St David’s to be
very competitive from a sporting perspective. Earl couldn’t swim a stroke and Willy Castle, his Physical
Education teacher told him to just get into the pool and I will teach you how to swim. Earl was an
accomplished swimmer by the time he left St David’s.
The teachers he remembers are of course Willy Castle to whom he feels he owes a lot; Mrs Anderson, a
strict Afrikaans teacher; Mrs Bowles, standard 3; Mr Buchanan, standard 4. Mr Kotze, standard 5 ; Ms
Joseph –Art ; Mr Bronkhorst – Sport and in the high school he recalls Mrs De Wet, standard 8 ; Mr De
Sousa, standard 9; Mr Hill; Mr Van Rooyen, standard 7; Mrs Marais, standard 10; Mr Webster, standard 6 ;
Mr Finlayson, high school sport(rugby) and Mrs Trudy Elliott who was a magnificent English teacher. Br
Ephraim was a disciplinarian but very popular.
The paddock was where the Mini-Marist is now based and George the tractor driver working with Willy Van
De Merwe kept the fields in pristine condition. Willy was a mechanic, builder, canoeist and runner. Mr
Norton was also a canoeist and Willy Castle encouraged Willy to run.
The retreats were an eye opener and often quite difficult but the teachers handled the situation well. Movies
were always organised by Willy Castle on the last day of school and soccer clinics during the school
holidays which his sons now attend. Mass was held every Friday but that didn’t mean that Earl and his
brother didn’t have to attend church on Sundays as well.
Earl remembers the RAPS plays and that Mrs Elliott had a personal relationship with Atholl Fugard which
resulted in the boys performing one of his plays set as if the audience and cast were in church. The boys
won their round of the competition but were not allowed to go to Grahamstown because of the deemed
racist content of the play.
Earl also has fond memories of a “Can-Can” show in standard 3 where the boys dressed up as girls and
thoroughly enjoyed themselves.
Earl was a member of Osmond House, became vice-captain and played basketball with the courts situated
where the Champagnat hall now stands.
The matric dance was held in the school hall with the standard 9’s and 10’s. Earl is still friends with many of
his contemporaries and they intend to celebrate their 25 year reunion this year.
Earl’s biggest love was boxing from an early age but he still had to participate in other sport whilst at St
David’s. After leaving school he went to the University of Durban-Westville to study for a BSc for a year
until the family experienced financial difficulties. He went on to become a professional boxer and became
the South African National Cruiserweight Champion from 2000 to 2004 and the World Boxing Association
Champion from 2002 to 2003. He attributes his success to his upbringing at St David’s with teachers like
Willy Castle instilling the motivation and pride required. “Confortare esto vir” Take courage and be a man.
Seeing it as a means to an end, Earl retired from boxing in 2008. He is involved with auto-gas, refitting
taxis to use gas as a fuel and now owns his own company, Greennovation making buildings more energy
efficient and is involved with various government departments,
Earl’s father always dreamt that his grandsons would attend St David’s and Earl’s two sons are in grade 0
and grade 7 with a daughter who attends, Auckland Park Preparatory School carrying on the tradition set
by his parents.
His brother Kurt intends sending his boys to St David’s as well when they return from abroad. He currently
works at the World Bank head office in Washington.
JLE May 2014

Interview with David Braun – 1972
David attended St David’s from 1967 to 1972 and his brother Jamie until 1974 and some of the
track records he set were unbroken for several years after he left. His father, Max Braun was
chairman of the PTA at one time.
David was a day boy apart from a stint at boarding in 1970. He remembers brothers such as Br
Patrick his class teacher in standard 5, Br Andrew who taught him Maths, Br Ezekiel also
Maths, Br Bosco\Mario – Science, Br Timothy – Biology and Catholic Doctrine, Br Bernard –
housemaster, Br Anthony – headmaster, Br Aidan – Latin and bursar. David was grateful for the
education he received at St David’s, especially the Brothers, but also some amazing lay
teachers. Br Timothy’s Biology classes inspired him to become very interested in the natural
world and he subsequently has ended up doing working for National Geographic.
He appreciated the liberal aspects of his education, especially from the brothers and other
teachers who openly questioned the morality of separate development and who taught the boys
to understand and appreciate History, Geography and Science all of which has served him well.
He regarded himself as having received a strong education at St David’s and various South
Africa universities.
David was not much of an athlete at school, he tried swimming in his earlier years and the last
rugby match he played was for the U15 C team and vividly remembered a match played against
St John’s as being particularly dirty in the scrum. He was a prop and received several injuries in
that game, including a bite and a very hard blow to the groin. It was only after he left school that
he found enjoyment in running and completed 12 marathons including the Two Oceans twice.
He recalls other boys and in particular Robert Tine who left to attend a fashionable school in
Swaziland and became a famous novelist of stories based on popular movies. David and Robert
were members of their own secret society in 1969, complete with covert awards and medals
which they used to wear on the underside of their blazer lapels. The society’s only function was
to mock the more obnoxious teachers and prefects. It was an amusement during the breaks.
On leaving school, David did his national service with a couple of Marist boys at 3SAI in
Potchefstroom and then was transferred to the military police in Wonderboom and
Voortrekkerhoogte and didn’t do any camps after basic training. He then enrolled at RAU for a
BA in Political Science and International Politics,doing his studies in Afrikaans, his second
language. He completed two years then dropped out to become a journalist. He later completed
his BA via Unisa. He added a post-graduate diploma in strategic marketing from Unisa and
some credits for an MBA at the Wits Business School.
David’s student career was marked by political activism, first as a member of the Young South
Africans of the United Party then as a young Prog chairman and deputy chairman of the
Southern Witwatersrand region of the Young Progs. He also served on the federal executive of
the Young Progs under the chairmanship of Bobby Godsell who later on became chairman of
the SA Chamber of Mines and CEO of AngloGold.
In 1976 he joined Argus Newspapers as a cadet journalist on Pretoria News and worked for
some 17 years for the newspaper group now Independent Newspapers, becoming political
correspondent of The Star when he was 29 and Washington bureau chief when he was 34. He
returned to SA as an executive editor on a couple of Durban newspapers and then emmigrated
with his family to the US in 1995. He has been with National Geographic for more than 15 years,
the last 5 of which he has been VP editor in chief for National Geographic digital media.
David is a dual citizen of the United States and South Africa and is married to Caroline Melhliss,
also a journalist on the Pretoria News. They have a daughter, a psychologist and a son who
works on web development for the army small business unit at the Pentagon.
David has travelled widely in his career and privately but notably he travelled with four SA
Presidents, P W Botha to Zaire, Ivory Coast and several countries in Europe; De Klerk to the
US, Mandela on his North American tour and Mbeki to the UN in New York. He also travelled
with President Clinton to four African countries and Mexico a few years before he left office. He
has been to more than 80 countries, more than 50 as a working journalist. He has taught
journalism in South Africa, the U.S. and Russia. He has published two books and has solid
plans for three more and intends to be very active in his retirement.
JLE November 2012

Interview with Dave Smith – Staff – 1997 to date
Dave came to St David’s from Bryanston High School in 1997 as head of the Geography department. His
first impression of the school was that it was very small having come from a big co-ed high school with
1300 pupils to teach two matric classes with 5 pupils in one and 12 in the other whereas Bryanston had
three classes with 30 pupils in each. Currently 60 to 70 pupils take Geography as a matric subject which
shows the growth in the number of pupils attending the school.
Paul Edey was the headmaster and together with Kevin Brewer, chairman of the board, motivated the
development plan for the school. At the time the quad housed an ablution block and the pavilion was a
Zozo hut! The school wasn’t very competitive apart from cricket but is now very competitive and is in the
top echelon of the pantheon of boys’ schools.
The leadership programme has grown enormously. In 1997 Dave took all the matrics to a camp in the
Magaliesburg and now there are camps for every grade. The camp, specifically for the prefects with the
main focus on leadership has also grown and now any matric can get a leadership scroll other than
prefects. Thirty two matrics in 2012 received leadership scrolls.
Dave was appointed housemaster of College house in 2000 and senior deputy headmaster in 2003
overseeing student affairs and school administration. He is also editor of the school magazine and sees not
just the physical changes in the school but in the number of pupils and the range of activities on offer. St
David’s has become one of the top boys’ schools worldwide with the vision that was created by Paul Edey
and continued by Malcolm Williams. However the school does have an achilles heel, rugby.
Dave believes St David’s to be an incredibly happy school with the boys having their own identity. There is
a sense of tradition and what makes a good tradition. One regret Dave has is that he gave up mentoring
the matrics when he became deputy headmaster.
On the staff, the characters he has encountered include the likes of Rod Smith, Belinda Marais and Annika
Carter to name but a few. Malcolm William’s concept of “Presence” has been unbelievable and the energy
he put into everything he did.
JLE December 2013

Historical collection

Interview with Darko Vidas 1962
Darko joined St David’s in 1960 after living in Namibia. His mother had died and eventually his
father decided to move to Johannesburg hoping for a better life for his children. Darko was a
boarder and found the first year to be very hard; it was difficult to get acquainted with everyone
and everything, plus the fact that he went overseas for two months to Europe and Croatia to
meet his family there.
Darko was quite a rebellious child and initially found the discipline at St David’s to be a difficult
change from life as he knew it. Brother Anthony had just been appointed headmaster and he
began by reading the boys the riot act as he was determined to change the ethos of the school
and behaviour of the boys. Darko thought he would get thrown out of the school!
His first day was quite horrific. Getting organised, classrooms, teachers and books he needed. It
was a very different environment from Namibia where he went to a much poorer, dual medium –
English and Afrikaans school and discipline was a big issue. His English was never very good
as he had been brought up in his mother tongue of Croatian until he went to school and he
battled with the language.
He now speaks Croatian, English, Afrikaans, German and a little Zulu and firmly believes in
introducing other languages to children as it gives them a greater vista and an advantage.
He also remembers serving at mass in Namibia, if you did this the nuns gave you breakfast
which included delicious rye bread and polony.
He really enjoyed his time at St David’s, making good friends, with whom he really bonded.
They shared everything, which was a great experience; he mixed with boys from different walks
of life – richer and poorer than himself – having compassion for one another. The brothers
showed love and compassion even though they were disciplinarians. As far as he was
concerned there were no cons to boarding school life at St David’s, for him it became his home
and haven as he no longer had a mother at home. He also remembered that the food was very
good.
Some of the Old Boys he is still in touch with and some he remembers:
Alec Quail Steven Muller
Doug Wickins Mike von Guilleaume
John Daly Rugani - deceased
Alf Smith Tonetti - deceased
The last day he can’t remember which exam he wrote. He remembers that he wasn’t happy
about leaving and knew he would always be back. It was the end of an era and he was sad
about it.
The boys were made to play sport and he played 1st team rugby and was vice –captain of 1st
rugby team, although he had never played before. He was also a good athlete. His record with
cricket was rather ignominious as, during net practice he disgraced himself and managed to
injure one of the school’s best batsmen. Needless to say he wasn’t encouraged to continue. He
was nicknamed “Bull”, was rugby prop and was injured in a match against KES. Whilst he was
in hospital, Br Anthony told the boys to go to church and pray for Bulls recovery.
His class was the smallest matric class ever, just 17 of them, but they played against all the top
schools and beat Observatory for the first time in 1961 away (3-0) 1962 at home (6-8).
As teachers, he didn’t think the brothers were particularly good but they were certainly always
encouraging and supportive. The brothers at the time were Br Anthony, Br. Gerard, Br Liam, Br
Dennis who coached rugby and Br Ignatius and there were some lay teachers in the junior
school. Br Gerard was kind, compassionate and a dedicated teacher who helped him a lot with
his English and gave him extra lessons at no charge. He put up a stage production of “Hamlet”.
All the boys had to learn the roles and not only learn the words but understand and interpret the
meaning. He was also the senior master for the boarders and used to feed them extra food in
the form of cakes from the brother’s fridge.
The brothers were a family in themselves and motivated all the pupils and taught them to be
innovative and to think laterally. They taught them to understand what they were trying to do
and not just to learn another formula.
He remembers that he and some of the other boys built a stage for a production of “Swan Lake”.
They took Gertie, the school bus to collect wood from some of the boys. However that didn’t
come to anything and eventually the wood was donated. When it was finished it had to be
transported from the wood workshop to the school hall (now the library) and all the boarders
mucked in and helped.
Alex Quail and Darko shared a big trunk in which they kept their books and punishment for
some of the younger boarders was to carry this trunk from their classroom back to the study.
Once, a couple of boys dropped the trunk, which then went sliding down the stairs nearly wiping
out Brother Anthony. The poor boys even got caned, an additional punishment however Brother
Anthony didn’t cane hard as he really didn’t believe in caning.
Another time the boarders went on strike protesting about the food and one boy even sang a
ditty
“Sausage in the morning, sausage in the evening sausage at super time”. Brother Gerard who
was in charge of the boarders had a soft heart and often used to open the brothers fridge and
hand out some food.
An incident, where he got into trouble after complaining about an English test, led him to be
disciplined by Br Anthony. He was not allowed to wear his honours blazer for 3 months. It was
very hard for him but he learnt the true meaning of the school motto “Comfortare esto vir - Take
courage and be a man”. Br Anthony was the cornerstone of his life, always there to listen and
offer advice and was a guest at Darko’s wedding.
Darko was vice captain of Osmond house and a prefect.
Darko’s first girlfriend, who was with him at his matric dance, much to his horror, became a nun,
however they kept in touch until she died.
When he left school he went into the navy. He volunteered together with Doug Wickins.
Afterwards he started an apprenticeship with Eskom as an electrician but he decided this
wouldn’t get him very far and studied electrical engineering at night at the Wits technikon. When
qualified he joined Siemens where he stayed for 41 years until he retired.
He brought his future wife to St David’s and remembers telling her that any sons of his would be
pupils at the school. He continued to be an active member of the school community and served
several terms on the PTA from and on the board of governors as a well as on the old boys
committee and the old boy’s bursary fund, but hastened to add that many of his compatriots did
likewise. Darko was also good friends with the now infamous headmaster John Murphy. Darko
being a boxer had something in common with him. Darko was at that time chairman of MOBS
and was on the board of governors. He was distressed to here of Murphy’s wrestling exploits
but agreed he had to go when his falsification of qualifications also came to light.
JE May 2011

Interview with Craig Wallington – 2007
Craig began his career at St David’s in 1995 at the age of 6 in grade 0. In his matric year, he
recalled that there were more boys than in previous years who had completed 13 years at
the school.
Craig’s first teacher was Mrs Sternberg and she left at the end of his year as did his teachers
for grade1, 2 and 3 but he felt redeemed when Mrs Jones in grade 4 stayed on! He has fond
memories of his grade 0 class with prayers before lunch. One of the boys accused another
of having his eyes open during prayers to which Mrs Sternberg replied “How do you know”?
Craig particularly enjoyed grade 4 with Heather Joseph as his Art teacher. He enjoyed the
sport and was the vice captain of cricket in grade 5 and swimming in grade 7. He played
tennis and hockey. At St David’s you got to do everything and, although not a phenomenal
sports person, he played sport every term.
Craig was a member of “The Bishops” from grade 0 to grade 9 but when he chose to study
Zulu instead of Afrikaans he had to move to “Osmond”. Zulu was very new to St David’s with
Mrs Ntombeni the teacher. Eventually Craig decided to go back to Afrikaans at the beginning
of the third term in grade 10. He set his mind to mastering the subject and was awarded the
subject prize in matric.
Teachers who made an impression on him were Mr McIver in grade 5 and 6, Mr Midgley
who taught Maths in grade 7 and Mrs Everson, English. In the high school all the teachers
were really good and Craig couldn’t really point out anyone in particular but Ms D King was
very helpful, also Simon Holderness who taught Maths and was his tutor. Mrs Nagy was
brilliant and Craig believed that her class dynamics were really good. The standard was high
and Craig started study groups with the grade 8’s in the library for the final exams. Craig
achieved academically throughout his time at St David’s.
Craig was involved with public speaking, debating, chess- captain, junior city council where
he met his current girlfriend, annual book quizzes and study groups. Anything you wanted to
achieve was possible and even more so now with Music and Art. He was involved with the
SMILE programme which he found to be an amazing experience. Craig enjoyed St David’s
as there were so many different ways in which one could excel. He was recognised for his
achievements in an environment where academics are recognised and sport did not override
that.
As for the school camps the only one he really enjoyed was the grade 4 Bush Pigs camp.
The grade 9 camp was also super with good leadership experience and a great spirit of
adventure. Craig learnt a lot about himself, although it was a terrifying experience most of
the time. In grade 10 they went hiking in the Drakensberg which he felt was madness and
ended up often hiking alone. The grade 11 camp he recalls was wet and very muddy, it
poured with rain the whole time. They had to cross a bridge to get into the camp and their
shoes were absolutely caked with mud.
Although most of his experiences at St David’s were generally good he does remember that
in grade 9, all the boys were punished when only a few didn’t attend the inter house Music
competition. The matric group that year wasn’t great.
His closest friends were also with him from grade 0, Gianluca Sacco, Connor Williams,
Duncan Otridge and Daniel Chappel, they are now even better friends than they were at
school. He also remembers Benjamin Ndimurukundu in grade 11 with whom he played
doubles, tennis and working together with Tyson Sithole,
Craig felt that St David’s fosters a learning attitude with the influences the teachers had, they
were so accommodating especial when Craig decided to take Accounts as an extra subject.
However a school cannot prepare you for everything and at university one had more
responsibility for one’s self.
Craig became a prefect was awarded honours for academics and (general academics,
cultural and leadership).
On a personal level Craig remembers bumping into Paul Edey when he was in grade 6, Paul
saying “I hear you are the next Daniel Wright”. Craig always studied since grade 8 and
always worked on something beyond his immediate objective and received continuous
positive reinforcement. His goal in matric was to come first in Afrikaans which he achieved,
winning the Buckley-Jones trophy for Afrikaans. Craig was always winning prizes throughout
his school career and in grade 12 was awarded the BR Hunt Trophy for Dux of the school
and the following trophies:
Walter Cronje Trophy for Additional Mathematics; the Phillimore Trophy for English; the
Matric 1991 Trophy for Biology; Thomas McFadden Trophy for History; Mayat Trophy for
Computer Studies; Ryder Bowl for Academic Achievement and the Gian-Paolo Pera
Accounting Prize.
The matric Dance was very special with the grade 11’s organising an amazing event “Cirque
De Soleil”. Marc Neto was head of the MDC and Graham Gallow gave his speech
acknowledging the fact that everyone was there and being a very close knit group.
On leaving St David’s Craig studied for a B Acc Science and was in the top twenty on four
occasions. He completed his honours and in his 2nd year Account articles but is in his first
year at PWC.
Craig is a member of MOBs and would definitely send any sons to St David’s.
JLE June 2013

Interview with Clare Hedding Staff – 1996
Clare started teaching at St David’s in the middle of the first term in 1996 when she took over
Glenda Burn’s class whilst she travelled to New Zealand.
Apart from the usual curriculum, Clare also taught Religious Instruction throughout the term
which was new as no-one had been teaching the subject at the time. After being at the school
for only two weeks, and having been approached by parents who were unhappy about their
children not being taught RI, Clare attended an executive meeting and presented her point of
view.
The following term, Rick Wilson phoned her as Yvonne Sandie the grade 4 teacher had had a
stroke following an attack on her son. Clare ended up teaching until the end of that year but, as
her children were still quite small she normally preferred to do relief teaching.
Mitzi Claasen, together with Sandra Tarlie, was the remedial teachers and Mitzi asked if Clare
would join the remedial team teaching remedial Maths. She remembers teaching in what is now
Magda Ceruti’s office for 4 years, mornings only.
During this time she had thought that maybe her son James could attend the school but was
rebuffed rather rudely by the then prep headmaster’s secretary.
Willy Castle then approached her and asked if she could supervise the retreats for each class,
holding them in the brother’s chapel. Then Marilyn Middlewick the Music teacher resigned, she
also taught Religion to grade 7 and Clare was asked if she would cover that too. Shortly
afterwards Father Brewer was diagnosed with cancer and struggled to say Mass. Clare then
assisted him in distributing the communion. Father Brewer subsequently retired in 1998 and
died in June1999.
Once again Rick Wilson called her in and asked if she would consider becoming the RE coordinator
when, at the time she was not even a member of staff! Darryl Webb joined St David’s
and, together with Glenda Anderson wanted to start a bridging class. Clare then started a grade
3 and 4 bridging class and went to have a look at the way the Ridge school organised theirs.
The classes began in 2002 and two years later reverted to grade 2 and 3. Clare was also
teaching RE to grade 7 and was running the chapel. Cindy Cronje eventually joined the staff,
teaching the grade 2 bridging class followed by Helen Mills.
In 2004 Clare had a break from St David’s and went to Grahamstown to support her son whilst
he was studying for Matric. She returned to St David’s again the following year and retired at the
end of 2011, her position being taken by Libby Hill. However Clare was not allowed to languish
long as a retiree and Rick called her the following year, 2012 and asked if she could possibly
teach Afrikaans to the grade 4 and 6 classes. She found this hard in the beginning but now
loves every minute of it.
The amazing thing about Clare’s career at St David’s is that she didn’t actually ever apply for
any post but was always asked to step into the breach and she felt that God just wanted her to
be there.
Clare had strong links with St David’s as a child. Her brother John was a pupil at CBC in
Kimberly 1949 -50 but was expelled and eventually became a boarder at St David’s as transport
was a problem. Clare remembers the dormitories as being huge with so many beds in them.
She also remembers an occasion when she was very young and she came to the school, John
took her to his classroom holding her hand. The brother asked her some questions and then
proceeded to pick her up and placed her on a desk, she then recited “Mary had a little lamb”,
the boys all cheered, which pleased her no end.
John was a very good sportsman, superb runner and top of his league for many years. In his
Matric year, 1954 he played the role of the admiral in the “Pirates of Penzance” and was
awarded the victor ludorum. John was very much a people person and became a prefect. His
nickname was “Doc” after his surname Livingstone.
The bell in the Chapel of Mary is there because of John. The nuns of the Carmelite Convent in
Wynberg gave him their chapel bell when the convent closed down.
Clare’s younger brother Brian, matriculated at St David’s in 1959 beginning his career there in
standard 2. In 1954 their parents went overseas for 3 months; Brian became a boarder and so
enjoyed the experience that he stayed on. Brian had a friend Derry Moore of an Irish catholic
family and Clare was introduced to Derry’s sister Coleen which was the beginning of a firm
friendship which continued until Coleen became a nun with her brother Derry taking up the
Marist Brotherhood. Derry did his training in Melbourne, Australia and taught at St Charles for
many years.
Clare’s mother was very involved with the ladies committee and organised fetes as a fund
raiser. She also supervised the matric dance and the catering. Clare remembers accompanying
her mother during school holidays and recalls that Piet the cook gave her biscuits. Her mother
was a keen gardener and used to take slips for Brother Pius and helped him to build the rockery
by reception. Clare’s father retired in his 50’s and used to “consult” with Brother Edwin regarding
maintenance and building for St David’s.
When the school needed some stalls for a fete, Clare’s father built them on the back lawn at
home and the school uses the same design to this day. Clare’s mother ran the handicraft and
needlework stall and made fairy dolls.
JE August 2012

Chris Daras – 1976
Chris was a boarder at St David’s from standard 1 in 1967. In standard 6, 1972 the boarding
was closed down completely. Chris’s brother George was already a day boy and their parents
lived on the corner of Bompas Road and Jan Smuts Avenue.
Chris hated boarding, only being allowed home for one weekend a month so he was quite
pleased to become a day boy. Whilst he was a boarder he was fortunate to have a friend,
Andrew McCartney who used to invite him for Sunday breakfast. Andrew’s father was one of the
first ophthalmologists in South Africa and took Chris to work with him, it was then that Chris
decided on ophthalmology as a career.
Because of the boarding facility there were many boys from the Congo, Mozambique and other
parts of Southern Africa but when it closed many of those boys went to St John’s College and
boarded there.
Chris recalled the dining room and the kitchen where the tuck shop is now and remembers that
they were given an avocado once a week at breakfast.
On his first day Chris made friends with Neil Jacobs, now a cardiologist in Sydney; Les Pullman
who is chief financial officer for Nandos, with whom he is still in touch, the Lebos brothers,
Martin Gill, Roberto Berti, Mark Otto qualified as a dentist and then became a professional wind
surfer, John Lawrenson – professor of paediatric cardiology, Children’s Hospital C.T., John
Hazkins and Tim Parr who formed a band called “Elemental”, he was good at English and once
someone upset him in class and he just stood on a desk and kicked him. There was a golfer,
Fulton Allem who was a friend of the Kouries and Lebos families, he used to practise on the
rugby fields and ended up winning the Million Dollar Golf at Sun City. All in Chris’s group did
pretty well but some sadly have since passed away - Mark Meyer, Basil Sopas and Nick
Georgidos
The school has changed enormously. The pool was built during Chris’s time and the boys used
to play war games where the tennis courts are now. A sculptor, Baldinelli or Villa lived in the
house nearby and used to scream at the boys to be quiet and they retaliated by throwing stones
at the metal sculptures.
Of the teachers he remembers Bill Karoo who taught Biology in the high school and Chris went
with him and Heather Joseph on a trip to Europe, George Maritz, a ducktail with brylcreamed
hair and pointed shoes.
Brother Anthony was the initial headmaster followed by Br. Timothy. The dormitories were
above what is now Willy Castle’s office and Chris can remember listening to the radio broadcast
of the first landing on the moon one Sunday. He recalls Br Mario and Br Aidan and saw Br
Bernard carve the statue that now stands outside the chapel. The brothers used to make the
boarders weed the playing fields on a Saturday to keep them busy. The school did well with
horse riding with the paddocks where the grade 00 block now stands. The team won the
national schools jumping competition at Hickstead in England. Bishop Tutu came to speak to
the boys in the auditorium and began by saying he wasn’t there to make a political speech and
then proceeded to do just that. He made a big impact on many of the boys
Chris’s matric year was the year that one of the brothers took the boys out to a movie followed
by supper.
There was a rumour in his matric year that there were going to be attacks on white schools and
unbeknown to the teachers, many of the boys took guns to school. Chris was a prefect, vicecaptain
of College house and was awarded his honours blazer for studies, merit and athletics.
Chris was a runner, played rugby and sometimes captained the 2nd rugby team and was a
member of the B swimming team..
Although many of the boys didn’t realise it at the time, St David’s carried a lot of prestige with
the institutions of higher learning. St David’s also went against what the government of the day
stood for and school was important for that reason. The first black children were admitted as
pupils in 1975. That ethos came through and with many of the old boys that thinking has not
changed.
Chris didn’t do well academically but passed matric and went on to Wits University where he
studied for 5 degrees – Initially a BSc Hons in neuro-chemistry for 6 years followed by yeast
technology at Stellenbosch and then eventually he went into ophthalmology. Whilst at Wits he
joined a student march and met Philip Tobias. Chris had some money and decided to study until
the money ran out; also it was a way of avoiding the army. If you registered for under-graduate
courses you were not called up. However, in 1989 the army caught up with him and he ended
up as serving for a year as an eye doctor stationed in Pretoria with an office next door to Wouter
Basson.
Chris has two sons who are currently pupils at St David’s and he is a member of MOBS.
JLE June 2012

Interview with Chris Busschau – 1965
The Busschau family association with St David’s and the Marist schools began in 1889 when
Peter Busschau was the first boy to arrive at the Marist School at Koch Street, Johannesburg. In
those days Johannesburg was a mining town and Peter Busschau lived, like most of the
inhabitants, in a tent. Peter was the third of three sons and the older boys went to CBC in
Kimberly whilst the family was living there. When his father was transferred back to
Johannesburg, Peter went first to the End Street Convent until Koch Street was opened.
Later Observatory, now Sacred Heart was opened as an off-site campus and his father went
there as did Peter’s four sons. St David’s initially was not a separate school but rather an
extension of Observatory and Koch Street which closed in 1964.
Chris only attended St David’s for two years as his father was based in Port Elizabeth and he
went to the Marist school in PE. When father was transferred to Johannesburg and Chris came
to St David’s he was at the outset very intimidated coming from St Patrick’s, a poor relation to St
David’s. St David’s was regarded as a vastly superior and wealthy school, with a very high
standard both academically and on the sports field. At that time all the Marist boys in standard 6
wrote the Marist school exams and St David’s always had a disproportionately high number of
boys who achieved high marks.
On Chris’s first day, aged 16, his parents dropped him off at the main gate. He made his way
into the school and ended up next to the auditorium and was asked by Terry Ray if he was a
new boy and chatted to him about the class he was going to. This was quite a coincidence as
Brother Vincent had previously suggested that he meet up with him and a number of other boys
including Terry Rosenberg, Drummond Robinson and Tony Wickens. Chris’s fears were
immediately dissipated and he settled in very quickly. Now years later he is still in touch with
Terry Ray, now living in Toronto and Terry Rosenberg living in Durban, and he regularly sees
Tony and Drummond.
The head of the school was Brother Anthony who was very much the king during that era. Br
Anthony had formerly been the head of the prep school in PE and was a strong leader, very
astute and had the skill of being able to harness both educational and administrative skills. He
had the firm commitment from the parent body and others outside of the school and of course
the boys too. His nickname was “Aunges” because of his Scottish pronunciation of oranges.
Chris a day boy, played cricket, was very keen, a member of the first team. He went on to play
serious cricket when he left school. Due to a knee injury he did not participate in rugby but
played hockey and tennis, ran the mile and represented the school in cross-country but was not
a good swimmer. He recalled a chap in his class Roy Hutton who gained Springbok colours for
swimming. Chris was steady academically and achieved a first class matric, B level.
The main events that stand out, were the mass on the closing of Koch Street and the launch of
Marion College. Several thousand pupils wearing the Marist uniforms and what seemed like
hundreds of brothers were around, and photos of the event were carried in the local press. The
Mass was held in the Catholic Cathedral near to Koch Street.
In 1964 he recalls the first St David’s Old Boy to be ordained as a priest – Michael Linden who
celebrated his first mass in the old chapel.
Chris Terreblanche was the head boy in 1964, he became a doctor and died tragically on a run
5 years ago (2006). He was an extraordinary boy and man, handsome, charismatic,
intellectually gifted and a great athlete, sprinter. He recalled him beating against all odds, Paul
Nash, the glamour sprinter from Michaelhouse, at nationals.
In standard 9 he remembers a guest speaker at prize giving, Prof Bozzolli who was then the
vice-chancellor of Wits University. He made a powerful speech in which he said that the word
school is a collective noun as a school is made up of pupils, teachers, ground staff etc. This
speech probably coloured Chris’s attitude and loyalty to St David’s.
On leaving St David’s he went into the army, completed his army service and went on to study
economics at Wits University. His first job was with Anglo American as a junior economist. At
that time he was involved in politics, Zac De Beer being his boss, who later became a member
of parliament for the Progressive party. Chris stood as a candidate and experienced problems
with the security police spending a night in police custody. Much to his relief he was released
the following morning, unlike many other hapless individuals who were held for much longer
periods. Later he worked as a financial journalist and met his wife Pam who was a ballet dancer
with Pact, as was his sister Ann. He had 3 sons and 2 daughters. He ended up in the financial
world with the Standard Bank Group for many years and now does consultancy work for the
financial services board. All his 3 sons taught at St David’s at some stage in their careers and
currently Ian is still teaching here. His grandchild, Owen is registered to start in grade 00 and
will carry on the Busschau tradition now 5th generation.
Chris has continued to be involved with the school and was a member of the old boys on
leaving. There was a monthly pub night at the old Balalaika Hotel, stag dinners, dinner dances
and he watched the rugby matches and attended some of the athletic meetings. He became
more involved when Patrick started at the school. The infamous John Murphy was head when
he started in the prep school. Chris eventually was invited onto various committees and was
involved with fund raising activities and the Busschau family traditionally ran the hamburger
stand. He was eventually elected onto the PTA in 1989 until 1999. He was
vice-chairman for 5 -6 years and then became chairman from 1995 to 1999 and, as result also
served on the board of governors. He has been a member of the old boys committee for the
past 10 years.
Chris is also a member of the Liturgical Executive of the SA Catholic Bishops Conference, and a
member of the finance committee that handles justice and peace programmes. He is also
chairman of the board of Radio Veritas.
Other items of interest:
Br Edwin, head from 1950 until 1957, had family connections with Neil McGurk, who is now
living in Durban. Neil was extremely talented, an SA schools cricketer who became a brother.
He has doctorate in nuclear physics and used to fly to Harvard every year and oversee a final
programme for the students there.
In the old boy’s Magazine, about 3-4 years ago is an article about the legendary matrics who
stole exam papers.
Darryl Boswell had a nervous breakdown and couldn’t cope and hence Trudy Elliot was
appointed Acting Head for the final term in 1988
JE August 2011

Interview with Cheryl King - Staff – 2000 to 2015
Cheryl was interviewed by Rick Wilson, prep school headmaster and Mike Forder, bursar and was initially
employed as a secretary to the deputy headmasters Willy Castle and Darrel Webb, taking over from Robbi
Orr who had been employed in the position for 5 years. She shared a very small office in the grade 1 block
next to Carol Ansell’s classroom together with Pam Groenewald who was Rick Wilson’s secretary. Cheryl
recalls that when she was interviewed she said she was familiar with Ms Word etc but then went and did a
course. She had to find her way and sink or swim, organising her own space her own way.
Cheryl and Pam had to share the grade 1 toilet with the little boys! Cheryl remembers hearing Carol Ansell
often saying “Excuse Me” to her pupils which she still does to this day. Cheryl’s younger son Calvin was in
gr 2 with Carol Ansell as his teacher, and found it convenient to come and visit his Mom whenever he had a
problem.
In those days there were no emails or internet and Cheryl was inundated daily with phone calls from
parents as communication was very difficult. Working for Willy was a shock to the system as he and Darrel
Webb were like a pair of Duracell bunnies, always on the go. At the time Glenda Anderson was head of the
junior primary phase, Paul Edey was headmaster of the high school with Malcolm Williams, deputy head
with Lindsay van Heerden and Dawn Arnold as their respective secretaries.
Cheryl saw to all the little boys’ aches and pains sending them to matron when necessary. She was
responsible for the newsletter which was printed every thursday working from pieces of paper which was
very time consuming. In addition to this Cheryl also had to help Norman Cahi, the chairman of the PTA with
all his work and often helped Ron Thackwell. Cheryl also typed out exam papers including Mike Mitchley’s
Maths paper which was quite a challenge with an old computer, entering all the symbols and formulae. As if
this wasn’t enough Cheryl assisted teachers who were not computer literate with their termly report
comments
Cheryl also had to deal with the grade 7’s and the pupil development programme which had different tiers
that the boys worked their way through. The grade 7’s then had responsibilities which were good for them.
Darryl was making huge strides in the prep school introducing a new curriculum in addition to the
implementation of Edu Admin. Previously every child had a file; everything was printed and went by pupil
post or more official documents by the postal service.
Cheryl enjoyed Rick Wilson as a boss he was lovely to work for and then the secretaries used to get one
half day off per week. Being a working mom at the school was great in that she could go to the various
assemblies and sports events that her sons were involved in.
Willy Castle was given a cell phone, he then phoned non-stop for everything and anything and would often
call and ask Cheryl to come to the field where he would then tell her what he needed. However they both
worked well together, working hard with long hours often until late at night. Cheryl had to attend all the
functions, there were 75 boys in each grade and each received a personalised letter signed by Rick Wilson,
Willy Castle and Darryl Webb. Copies had to be made and it was all very time consuming.
Cheryl also organised the tours for each age group, grade 3 to 7, booking transport and tickets. There was
no school driver and Red Arrow coaches were utilised. Willy Castle also had a full teaching load followed
by sport in the afternoons.
Cheryl moved to the current prep secretaries’ office in 2003 when Pam resigned and Coleen Donaldson
took over as secretary to Rick. It was exciting then to receive emails but Cheryl still had the responsibility to
call all the schools to confirm venues for all the sporting fixtures. Willy used to put all the fixtures on an
enormous sheet of paper and Cheryl then had to type it up.
Cheryl remembers the fantastic end of year and end of term functions, with parties accommodating all ages
with everyone having good fun.
In 2005 Chantal Ratcliffe was employed as a consultant to the school .Tony Chappel was then chairman of
the board and an advert was placed for the foundation post for which Cheryl applied. Paul Edey, who had
been appointed executive head in 2002 and Chantal interviewed Cheryl. Cheryl was nervous about taking
the job and making the move and discussed this with Willy appreciating his advice. She and Chantal
started working in what is now the deputy head’s office and for the first four months Cheryl updated the
MOBS data base inherited from Stephan Contardo. Patrick Busschau was chairman of the old boys
committee at the time. In 2006 they moved offices again and were in what is currently the admissions office
and the Foundation trust was officially launched.
Initially Cheryl and Chantal’s focus was raising money for the chapel which was completed in 2007. There
were so many events to organise to introduce the Foundation around which there was a lot of negativity.
Functions were organised for old boys and many didn’t arrive. The old boys were pessimistic about the
Foundation and felt that they were just being asked for money.
In 2008 Chantal and Cheryl moved once again to an office in the admin block. Chantal left in 2010 and Lara
Klement was appointed Foundation and marketing manager. The marketing then almost took over, but
MOBS was getting stronger. Lara had a huge task on her hands, introducing a new corporate identity and
she bought in new marketing material with the gazebos, banners and hand outs. Cheryl also had to work
hard with the old boys getting them back into the school. Paul Vidas took over from Patrick Busschau as
chairman of the old boys and now with Willy Castle in that position he has brought a new energy and
enthusiasm with him. The database is now sitting on 5000 old boys, the Grahamstown and Cape Town
events are very successful and Mike Greeff has also made visits to the UK and to Australia. There was a
different vibe this year at the Cape Town reunion with a sit down dinner at St Joseph’s. Facebook is a great
media giving MOBS and the school exposure. Before he left, Malcolm Williams was very supportive and
was instrumental in introducing the old boys assembly, in particular the memorable assembly in 2003 for
old boys of 1973 and 2003. Mike Lamusse organised a get-together and dinner for the 1973 MOBS which
was incredibly successful. In 2007 the Matric Rite of Passage was initiated which was a positive move to
introduce the current matrics to MOBS.
Cheryl finds her role very frustrating at times but is passionate about MOBS and the potential of the
Maristonian and acknowledges that she couldn’t cope with all the events without the help of the support
staff. The highlights of the Foundation and MOBS functions were this year’s rugby festival with the St
David’s 1st team rugby beating their opponents, St John’s. It was an emotional and unforgettable day
seeing the old boys and the school boys together doing the war cry with Willy Castle standing under the
rugby post.
Relationships have been built over the years with parents, staff and MOBS. The old boys have been
tremendous and it is very special now with Willy Castle being prep headmaster and chairman of MOBS.
It has been a difficult decision for Cheryl to resign and to work on a part-time basis although it is better for
Cheryl and gives her more flexibility but still enables her to continue to pursue her relationship with Willy
Castle and 2016. Carey Fisher is now handling the marketing so Cheryl can focus on the alumni. Fiona
Budd’s focus is on fundraising , strengthening the Foundation and bursary funds especially the Willy Castle
bursary fund, having already introduced Snapscan and insituting debit orders. The years ahead will be
challenging and difficult but Willy will be happy as he will always be remembered with his bursary fund.
Cheryl will also be working on the MOBS bursary fund raising more finance, but MOBS will be Cheryl’s
major focus and Willy Castle is very supportive.
The school has grown substantially and it is comforting to see MOBS bringing their sons back to the school.
It’s all about relationship building and is almost like a circle within the school – admissions – prep – high
school – then MOBS.
JLE November 2014