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70th Anniversary dinner - main speaker Simi Tshabalala

  • ZA ZAR STDS 202000964
  • Item
  • 2011

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Speech at the 70th Anniversary Gala Dinner, St David’s Marist Inanda
Sim Tshabalala
No product of the Marist Brothers could fail to be beleaguered by tremendous feelings
of humility, privilege and gratification at a function such as tonight’s; humility for being in
the presence of luminaries of Catholic and Marist education as well as immensely
successful products of St David’s; privilege and gratification at the knowledge that one
is counted as a friend of St David’s.
I was lucky to have had parents who had the means to be able to send me to Marist
Observatory in 1978. I was fortunate to be nurtured by the Marist Brothers in joint
venture with the Holy Family sisters, the Ursuline sisters and the laity in an environment
of love, fairness, equality and care.
I have always been struck by the intensity of the Marist faith. The sheer power of this
faith reminds me of some famous lines of the great Catholic poet Gerard Manley
Hopkins. He wrote, ‘The World is charged with the grandeur of God, It will flame out, like
shining from shook foil.’ The Marist brothers in joint venture with the Holy Family sisters,
the Ursuline sisters and laity who taught me at Sacred Heart College did indeed seem lit
up from the inside by their faith; charged full of imagination, hope and energy. They
shone with an unshakable determination to side with the underdog in pursuit of equality
and fairness
I always felt at home at Sacred Heart. Though I was a little boy from Soweto, I always
remember how special I was made to feel. And there I was given gifts beyond price: an
excellent, fully rounded education and the skills and values I draw on every day as a
professional and as a citizen of South Africa.
My mentors from this community included Brother Mc Cartin. Memories of him talking to
me in the quad at Obs after school are indelible. I remember distinctly stories of his life
in Ireland, his journey to South Africa and his Marist work. Because of listening to him, I
even considered becoming a brother! How lovely that would have been instead of being
a member of one of the ten most hated professions: banking. I remember fondly Brother
Paul as he would walk to his room with his dog Susie, stop, and chat about this and
that. I remember well brother Raymond with his strong Irish accent. He was our under
13 rugby coach, and that was the only year my cohort beat Inanda during the ordinary
season – although, of course, we drew with them during the Inter Marist rugby
tournament which was held at St Josephs Rondebosch in our matric year. That draw
was sweet and it is unforgettable. I am on dangerous ground here, but I attribute our
string of losses to Inanda from under 13 to our final year entirely to the fact that we
became co-ed in 1980 whereas the Inanda leadership had the good sense to remain a
Single sex school, one of whose benefits was the preservation of a strong rugby
tradition. Neil Mc Gurk is unforgettable. I learned a huge amount from him: commitment
to community combined with a deep desire to transform it; the love of philosophy; and
an abiding adoration of St Thomas Aquinas’ work and natural law.
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It seems to me that nothing has changed since I devoured Brother Mc Cartin's immortal
words, grappled with Brother Neil's incredibly complex ideas and got routinely trounced
by Walter Cronje's men. I have a tremendous love for the Marist tradition, and a
permanent admiration for St David’s.
Ladies and gentlemen, when I was asked to speak tonight on the topic: ‘Confortare esto
vir’ – ‘Take courage and be a man,’ I was immediately filled with trepidation. Was this
some kind of coded message about a resurgence of the global financial crisis? Were
the Marist Brothers trying to tell me something?
But once I had calmed down, I remembered that this isn’t actually a financial forecast.
As you know, it’s really the inspiring motto of this great school, founded seventy years
ago as an act of bravery and optimism in defiance of the surrounding horrors of the
Second World War.
The motto comes, in fact, from the First Book of Kings, Chapter 2. They are King
David’s dying words of advice to his son, Solomon, who was to become the wisest and
best of the biblical kings of Israel. David said, ‘Take courage and be a man. Observe
what the Lord your God requires. Walk in obedience to him, and keep his decrees.... Do
this so that you may prosper in all you do.’
What I find most interesting about this text is that it says that courageous, wise and
good people have to be observant and obedient. In a foreshadowing of the Marian
tradition of striving always to be consciously present in the world and to heed the call of
duty, these verses call upon us to look carefully around us; to work out what is required
of us by our religion and our values; and to take steps to fulfil those requirements.
What do we find when we look about us in South Africa? I think we find many good
things - including a democracy that has just reaffirmed both its vibrancy and its stability;
an economy that is clearly on its way to recovery; and this attractive and excellent
school. There’s much to be proud of, and certainly no need for gloom.
But we also observe a great deal of poverty and that we are the world’s most unequal
country.
65% of the population live on less the R550 a month – less than a monthly satellite TV
subscription. 12% of South Africans are desperately poor, struggling somehow to
survive on R150 a month – less than the cost of a very modest lunch for two in Sandton.
In other words, those of us who are lucky enough to be celebrating this anniversary
here tonight live on a small island of prosperity in a sea of poverty.
South Africa is so unequal because we have one of the world’s highest unemployment
rates. The unemployment rate for black South Africans under 30 is over 50%. Twothirds
of 15-to-30 year olds who want work have never been able to find a job. The
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reason why these millions of young people can’t find work - or create it for themselves -
is simple. They have been failed by our education system.
Admittedly, there are some bright spots in the education landscape, and last year’s
matric results may signal some improvement - but the overall picture remains extremely
bleak. Two facts I find particularly telling are that the average Grade 3 literacy teacher
can barely pass a Grade 6 test, and that the average South African maths teacher –
teacher, not student – scores 39% on a test of the material they are supposed to be
teaching. If the teacher can’t properly understand the work, how on earth are the pupils
supposed to learn?
Our educational deficiencies look even worse in the light of global standards. This year
the Global Competitiveness Report found that our inadequately educated workforce was
the second biggest constraint to doing business in South Africa. (Our inefficient
bureaucracy was first – and much of that inefficiency is also explained by poor
education.) South Africa ranks among the bottom 10% of countries on the quality of our
education system. We do far worse than many much poorer African countries, including
Mali, Tanzania and even Cote D’Ivoire, which is just emerging from a decade of civil
war.
The abject failure of most of the education system is not merely tragic and wasteful– it’s
also very dangerous. This is because unemployment and inequality fuel crime and
instability, and create an enthusiastic audience for destructive populist politicians.
Our motto tells us that good and wise men observe, and then obey.
I believe that this means that we are called upon by our faith and by our ethics to take
active steps to improve South Africa’s education system. But what steps? I submit that
the answers have been given to us – very appropriately – by two great Catholic
educationalists: St Marcellin Champagnat and Blessed Cardinal John Henry Newman.
St Marcellin founded the Marist Brothers nearly two hundred years ago in order to bring
education and religious enlightenment to poor children in remote rural areas of France,
and to ensure that they were taught with humility, modesty, simplicity and love. With the
passing of time, Marist Inanda now finds itself in what is probably the most affluent part
of South Africa’s little island of prosperity. The school therefore attracts most of its
pupils from prosperous and sophisticated families. Through no fault of your own, St
David’s is significantly less diverse in terms of both race and income than it could be.
I know that you are very aware of the tension this creates: How best can St David’s
reconcile its present affluence with the Marist mission to the poor? More generally, how
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can those of us perched on the little island of prosperity respond with honour and
courage to the sea of poverty and inequality around us?
It is entirely right that St David’s should continue to stretch itself to reach and serve
disadvantaged pupils and badly trained teachers. I know that the boys at St David’s do
a lot of outreach work. I can only say to them, ‘Thank you – and do more!’ And, of
course, one of the main purposes of tonight’s event is to raise funds for the Marcellin
Champagnat Campaign to establish an endowment that will provide pupil bursaries and
the teacher learnerships here at St David’s. Again, I can only say, ‘Thank you – and be
even more generous!’
I hope you won’t mind if I make a banker’s suggestion? From my perspective, St
David’s Marist Inanda looks like a particularly successful ‘business unit.’ If we were
looking for resources to, say, expand our branch network into new territories, we would
have a debate about transferring some of the profits from the successful units to fund
the expansion as this would be in the interests of the entire enterprise. This would not
be an easy or a comfortable conversation. It would be necessary to avoid unfairness,
and to think carefully about how much money and other resources could be transferred
without damaging the profitability and sustainability of the successful business units. I
believe that St David’s is called upon by its Marist values to keep on having this
uncomfortable conversation. Please ask yourselves very regularly whether St David’s
can do more to cross-subsidise other Marist and Catholic education.
Cardinal Newman was a leading figure in the campaign to achieve social and political
equality for Catholics in Britain and Ireland in the 19th century. A former Anglican, he
was the prime mover behind the establishment of the Catholic University of Ireland,
which was to become the University College, Dublin, today, Ireland’s premier university. He
argued that one of the most important tasks for Catholics was to create centres of
unabashed educational excellence. At the time, almost all Catholics were very poor.
But, Newman argued, this did not mean that the community should focus exclusively on
immediate poverty relief and basic education. Instead, it should also aim to create
centres of unashamed educational excellence, which could produce a new Catholic elite
to lead the community and to influence society in general.
Newman was very interesting on what this new elite should be taught. He argued that a
significant proportion of their education should be in the liberal arts and humanities. His
view was that - even more than their specific professional training - leaders need the
ability to think critically and clearly and to argue logically and persuasively. This has
certainly been my experience, and I entirely agree with Newman that one of the
characteristics of an elite school like St David’s should be a concentration on literature,
history and debating – especially since the South African university system encourages
most students to specialise in professional subjects from their first day at university.
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I would urge you, therefore, to follow the Blessed Cardinal Newman as well as St
Marcellin. As you stretch out to do more for the disadvantaged, do not lose focus on
your core mission of empowering every St David’s boy to develop all his talents, to
achieve all-round excellence, and to grow into men who are both wise and good. Also –
and this is very important too – I hope that the school continues to ensure that every
boy enjoys himself and is happy here.
On second thoughts, perhaps the boys shouldn’t enjoy their time here too much.... I’m
thinking here of one famous Marist Old Boy – he knows who he is – he is the
personification of the Marist way and the quintessence of the St David’s motto, he is a
carrier of this institution’s values and beliefs and he has motivated and inspired
thousands of boys in his long history with the school. He loved the school so much that
he found it necessary to do matric twice, and then to stay here for another 40 years. He
has given his name to a bursary which “is awarded to a boy who shows sporting
promise and who will be able to maintain the required academic standard.” He is loved
and revered and is prototypical of what St David’s boys ought to be, what they can be,
what they will be.
Finally – and I know Willy Castle will agree with me about this - I’d like to say
something about the merits of St David’s as a boys-only school. Certainly, there are
dangers to be avoided in a boys’ school and such dangers are avoided in co- ed
schools such as my alma mater, Sacred Heart College. These dangers include the risk
of becoming obsessed with sporting success to the exclusion of other achievements, or
of creating a culture which regards women as ‘a different species.’ But I know that St
David’s avoids these risks, thanks to its emphasis on all-round achievement and to its
thoroughly Catholic insistence on treating everyone with dignity and respect.
South Africa desperately needs more courageous and responsible men. At present,
only 36% of children are being raised in a home with a father. Far too much of our social
and political life is shaped by immature and irresponsible boy-men, whose paths to
fame, wealth and power are littered with broken promises, risky personal behaviour and
thoughtless or even cruel treatment of the poor, the weak, children and the elderly. St
David’s is performing an extremely valuable social service by fostering a brave, wise
and responsible masculinity that defies these trends and shows what being a man –
esto vir - truly means.
Long may you continue to do so!

Tshabalala, Simi

2020 Rugby Tour - Keeping the Ball in Play

  • ZA ZAR STDS 202000925
  • Item
  • 2020

“Keeping the Ball in Play”
Nassey and Agnes Simaan were the parents of Gabriel Simaan who matriculated from St Davids in 1968. They were deeply committed to their school, their legacy spans generations and remain quite literally, rooted in rugby.
While Nassey coached rugby, Agnes laid the grass on all of the rugby fields and cricket oval. She is remembered by the boys as driving the little blue tractor at all hours of the day preparing the turf. She secretly buried medals and statues blessed by Brother Anthony under the grass on all of the fields to ensure that the boys were blessed and protected. They regarded her as a second mother, seeking out her advise and common sense and she was always up for a chat with a cup of tea.
One of Nassey’s greatest accomplishments was his role as the Marist Inanda’s first team rugby coach. During his 3 year reign, the school enjoyed their greatest success with records that still prevail today. His players from this era recall how there were no superstars in their team: They were a small bunch of very average rugby players and Nassey focused on the weakest and smallest players in the group. It was through the self confidence and motivation that he instilled in them, together with his immense knowledge, strategy and love for the game, that they were able to achieve what they did. Not only did Nassey’s loud voice instruct and encourage the boys in the matches as he marched up and down the touchline, but his athletic abilities were legendary. Apparently more than once, Nassey’s wing would get the ball with a gap in the defence. Nassey would be in line with the wing. With a cigarette in his mouth, Nassey would take off at the same time that the wing broke, and sprint down the touch line screaming instructions. By the time the wing made it to the try line, Nassey was already there waiting for him.
When one of Nasseys most successful St Davids teams had their 40 year school reunion, they invited him as their guest of honour as a mark of respect. They all describe Nassey as a passionate man who had a vision and skill set far beyond his years in rugby. He instilled in them not only a love for the game but a love and brotherhood for their team mates and school. Les Khourie – his lock reflects on how much Nassey was loved. Khourie believes he shaped and moulded him into the man he is today. The first fifteen from 1972 remains the best team St Davids ever had.
Nassey’s rugby talents and passion for the game were passed onto his son Gabe, who matriculated in 1968. Nassey would speak with immense pride of Gabe’s rugby achievements. His favourite recollection was about Gabe kicking a penalty over from the halfway line, in the torrential rain and howling Cape wind, to beat Marist Brothers Rondebosch by 1 point. Gabe’s son, Gaby jnr who was at St Davids until high school is as
passionate about his rugby and was a first league and Lions panel referee. He now coaches the U9’s at pirates.
Matthew Cooper, currently in Grade 11 at St Davids; great grandson to Nassey and grandson to Gabe, shares his love and passion for the game. His great grandfather would have been incredibly proud of his selection into the u16 Grant Khomo Lions side last year. He wears the St Davids jersey with much pride and a deep sense of honor. He hopes to emulate Nasseys speed and innate understanding of the majestic game of rugby.

Egenrieder, Julie

2016 Chapel of Mary - interior

  • ZA ZAR STDS 202000687
  • Item
  • 2016

1 A3 laminated poster with two colour photos

St David's Marist Inanda

2015 75th Jubilee Circle of Friendship - Explanation

  • ZA ZAR STDS 202000967
  • Item
  • 2015

75th Jubilee Circles of Friendship
The 75th Jubilee Circles of Friendship campaign was designed to link the parents, staff, boys,
and Old Boys as a community in long-term relationship and giving campaign, to
commemorate the 75th Jubilee year and carry through to the 80th Jubilee.
The aim of the Circles is to connect the entire St David’s community through interconnected
circles of giving reflecting all the areas of connectedness and involvement at St David’s; the
Montagne Day Pledge was the start of initiating the boys’ Circles of Friendship which will
continue.
The Campaign was initially introduced towards the end of 2015 when the entire School
received the Circles of Friendship Bracelet with an accompanying explanation, the campaign
was promoted through various forums and mediums to parent, staff and Old Boys throughout
2016 (including throught the Coffee and Donuts Sessions – each of which covered a different
area of interest and activity at St David’s), with the final ‘activation’ being with the St David’s
boys through the Montagne Day Pledge initiative. A google form link was also shared with
the community where circles could register and indicate their area of support and how they
would be contributing to their Circle (ranging from monthly to annual contributions or
contributions on an ad hoc if they had decided to engage in fundraising activities – which
some Circles seemed to favour). The Willy Castle Marathons Campaign (which this year will
enter its third year) also became a focus for a Circle amongst those who support this initiative.
Montagne Day Pledges
The 75th Jubilee year celebrations formally concluded with the celebration of Montagne Day
Mass on Friday 28 October which marked the 200th Anniversary of the visit of St Marcellin
Champagnat to the bedside of the dying 16 year-old Jean-Baptiste Montagne, an incident
which profoundly affected St Marcellin and inspired him to found the teaching order of
Marist Brothers. Each boy was asked to make a Montagne Day Marist Pledge, and to
accompany this by donating R 75 towards the 75th Jubilee Circles of Friendship Campaign,
raised through his own efforts and acts of service. These donations form the start of each
year group’s own Jubilee Circles of Friendship as per the Matric Years that they will
eventually become, for example, those boys who were in Grade 6 last year will be the
Matric Class of 2022. The funds raised go towards a bursary for an underprivileged boy (a
modern-day Montagne) – the Grade 5s, led by Mr Byron King, decided to take part in the
94.7 Mountain Bike Challenge on 13 November 2016 to raise additional funds in support of
their Montagne Day Pledges towards this bursary.
As part of the Mass the photo composite of St Marcellin Champagnat was unveiled and
blessed – below is the explanatory speech that I gave at the Montagne Day Mass:
Montagne Offertory – Photo Montage Explanation
Friday 28 October 2016
Last year, whilst Mrs Klement and I were contemplating ideas and doing online research for
the St David’s 75th Jubilee Circles of Friendship campaign and the Jubilee Bracelet, I came
across a beautiful photo composite of St Marcellin Champagnat that had been created by
Marist High School in Chicago, USA. The face of St Marcellin had been created using
photographs of the students and staff of the Marist High School and I loved the idea and
thought that this would be an excellent way for us at St David’s to celebrate and remember
our 75th Jubilee Year for many years to come and to reflect the Circles of Friendship that
were formed at this time. To have the face of our Founder made up of all of our faces also
reflects where our Marist roots come from and how we, as the St David’s community,
continue to carry forward the ethos, vision, work and legacy of St Marcelllin Champagnat
200 years after he founded the Marist Brothers teaching order. We used the Chicago
photograph on the cards that accompanied the Jubilee Bracelets that we all received last
year and then spoke with Mr Rose-Reddiar to see if he could work his photographic magic to
create our very own St David’s image. He has been working throughout this year to compile
the photo montage from our individual photographs and photos taken at the Jubilee
celebrations and other events through this year, for which we most sincerely thank him –
and today we get to see our very own montage for the first time, which will be blessed and
then permanently displayed at St David’s.
Fiona Budd
Foundation Manager
St David’s Marist Foundation
(The St David’s St Marcelin Photo Montage can be seen on the wall in the foyer of the
Champagnat Hall)
Original Introduction to the 75th Jubilee Circles Campaign (comms from January 2016)
Become part of the legacy of the St David’s Marist Inanda 75th Jubilee by joining the St
David’s Marist Inanda Circles of Friendship Initiative
As part of the 75th Jubilee Celebrations St David's has launched the '75th Jubilee Circles of
Friendship' Campaign - Connecting our Community. One of the aims is to explore and map
how the entire St David's community is connected, through a network of individual circles of
mutual interest to form an interwoven 'tapestry' of connection, reflecting and
commemorating the 75th Jubilee Community.
The St David’s Marist Foundation Trustees have begun the first Circle and you are invited to
initiate or join a Circle of Friendship at St David’s, with relevance to you.
The 'Circles of Friendship' initiative has also been established as a form of Giving Circle
participatory philanthropy where each Circle will be invited to agree to a monthly, termly or
annual giving commitment of their choice to the St David's Jubilee Fund (connected to an
area of common interest, for example, cricket development at St David's) and to honour this
commitment for the next five years, until the 80th Jubilee. As an illustrative example, if a
Circle commits to a joint giving contribution of R 1 200 per year over 5 years this will amount
to R 7 500 - a lovely 'echo' of the Jubilee Year number.
The Jubilee Fund will primarily support Bursary and Development Funds (including sports,
cultural, academic and leadership development) with the major capital development
fundraising drive being in support of enabling the building of 'The Maristonian' - a multipurpose
Education facility, which will include a 'home-base' for our Alumni (Old Boys, Past
Parents and Past Staff).
You can form or join as many Circles as you wish to reflect your involvement at St David's - a
giving commitment is only required for the initial Circle that you join or form.
75th Jubilee Circles in place as at 31 December 2016
St David's 75th Jubilee Year Circles
50 Circles
General Circles
St David's Book Club Circle (Cultural Development)
St David's Friends of the Arts Circle (Maristonian)
Tuckshop Mom's Circle
Mothers' Prayer Group Circle
Hands of Champagnat Circle (Community Development)
Basketball Parents' Circle (Sports Dev)
Foundation Trustees Circle
Staff Giving Bursary Circle
Christmas Giving Campaigns Circle (2015 & 2016)
Willy Castle Marathons' Circle 2016
Montagne Day 2016 Pledges (Matric Class Year Circles)
Grade 00 (Class of 2029)
Grade R (O) (Class of 2028)
Grade 1 (Class of 2027)
The Story of the
St David’s 75th Jubilee Bracelet
The disc:
Depicts the Marist Symbol for Ave Maria, St David’s name
and 75 for the Jubilee Year
Three ivory beads:
Represent the Three Characteristics of the Marist Way:
Simplicity, Modesty and Humility
Five Navy blue beads:
Represent the Marist Values of Presence,
Love of Work, Simplicity, Family Spirit, in Mary’s Way
The Green, Red, Blue and Yellow beads represent the four houses of St
David’s: Benedict, College, Osmond and The Bishops
The three sets of alternating blue and yellow beads represent the three
terms of the year at St David’s, and together represent the full year
(and a full year of Circle of Friendship Giving)
The five large black beads represent the Boys, Parents, Staff,
Old Boys and the St David’s community
The pale blue beads in the medium and large bracelets
represent excellence - the colour that is used in the
St David’s Honours blazer
Grade 2 (Class of 2026)
Grade 3 (Class of 2025)
Grade 4 (Class of 2024)
Grade 5 (Class of 2023)
Grade 6 (Class of 2022)
Grade 7 (Class of 2021)
Grade 8 (Class of 2020)
Grade 9 (Class of 2019)
Grade 10 (Class of 2018)
Grade 11 (Class of 2017)
Grade 12 (Class of 2016)
Class of 2015
Maristonian Class Year Circles (Old Boys)
Class of 2010
Class of 2008
Class of 2006
Class of 2003
Class of 2001
Class of 2000
Class of 1996
Class of 1995
Class of 1988
Class of 1987
Class of 1986
Class of 1985
Class of 1980
Class of 1974
Class of 1973
Class of 1972
Class of 1971
Class of 1970
Class of 1968
Class of 1966
Class of 1963
Class of 1962
Class of 1958
Class of 1957
Class of 1950
Excerpt from the Advancement Manager’s Report (November 2016)
Lara Klement
Coffee and Donut Circles of Friendship Mornings
Fiona successfully organized seven Coffee and Donut mornings through the year, each with a
specific focus e.g. Sports and Cultural Activities, Outreach, Old Boys, etc. A number of Circles
have been initiated this year, with some being more ‘fundraising’ focused than others.
However, the idea of connecting around something parents feel passionately about has taken
root in all of them and the ideas of how to raise funds through these have been very
innovative. The process has been an interesting and informative one with some important
learnings:
For many of the people who have come to the coffee mornings, the primary motivation is the
desire to connect with others in the St David’s community or with the School itself. They are
looking for ways to be ‘closer’ to the School (for various reasons) and be involved in one way
or another. We believe that if we (the Foundation) can facilitate this ‘connection’, this
strengthened relationship between parents and school will translate into benefit for the
Foundation over time as well as reap rewards for the school in the shorter term, if managed
effectively.
The true definition of philanthropy is still new in our community’s space. A number of people
have approached the Circles of Friendship with either a charity or a purely fundraising
mindset, each of which brings a very different ‘energy’ and different set of expectations.
Managing this understanding and process as well as the expectations has been very time
consuming, but has given us valuable insight into the mindset of some of our community and
has also allowed us the opportunity to try and shift the mindset to one that is more
philanthropic.
Most Circles have preferred to raise funds rather than just commit to a monthly giving
programme. We think that the reasons are two-fold:
 There is still a strong resistance to committing financially over a long period of time.
We think that the uncertainty in our country is contributing to this as families are
preferring to keep as tight a control over their daily finances as possible.
 The need to ‘connect’, as mentioned above is a motivating factor for many of the
members and the fundraising projects allow them to do this. However, one of the
Circles, who definitely understand philanthropy, are using this to great effect from a
crowdfunding perspective.

Budd, Fiona

2012 Jungalaw

  • ZA ZAR STDS 202000557
  • Item
  • 2012

32 A4 colour photos

St David's Marist Inanda

2000 Development Plan

  • ZA ZAR STDS 202000510
  • Item
  • 1997

A5 Colour brochure of 11 pages

St David's Marist College

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