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Interview with Derek Mandy 1963

  • ZA ZAR STDS 202000762
  • Item
  • 2011

Interview with Derek Mandy – 1963
Derek thought that school was one of the best things that ever happened to him and enjoyed his
time as a boarder at Inanda. His parents lived in Brakpan, hence he was a boarder from
standard 5 but was at CBC Boksburg before. His parents wanted him to participate more at
school. He felt that it was all pro’s regarding boarding – companionship, structured study, food
wasn’t too bad, sport at weekends and he played rugby and was vice- captain first rugby,
hockey, soccer, volleyball, athletics and received the open 880yds trophy. The only con was
the dorms – 40 beds in each. In standard 8 his brother Dudley was prefect of Derek’s dorm. His
main complaint was that there was a total lack of privacy, they were noisy and no radio was
allowed after lights out. The brothers had a room in the corner.
He was reasonably good at sport and was generally in the A team.
Academically he achieved a second class JMB matric, he wasn’t a boff but didn’t struggle, with
the exception of Maths due to the brothers teaching and a university student eventually helped
him with the subject. He received the SA Marist award in 1963 and was head prefect and house
captain for Benedict, vice-captain first rugby, secretary of Sodality and chairman of the MDC.
Derek, as were many of the other boys, was unaware of what was happening in South Africa,
they were apolitical and had no knowledge of apartheid. It had no bearing on their lives. He
does however recall that the government were not too happy to allow new brothers into the
country.
He remembers his first day or two and was initially homesick but soon settled in and it helped
having an older brother there. He remembers Brother Anthony, “Oranges” as being quite a
character.
His older brother Dudley was head boy in 1961 and who is now living in Texas. One day he was
called out of class and in front of the school, with the matrics in a semi-circle, they were told that
his brother was going down to Natal to become a Brother, this was just prior to writing matric.
Having written matric, Dudley gave it all up and reunited with his girlfriend.
His last day was a happy one it was time to move on even though he was unsure whether he
had been accepted at university. He also had originally wanted to become an American field
student but he couldn’t do that and study in the US, he eventually went to UCT to study
psychology but ended up studying law. Derek is the father of two sons who went to Bishops and
a daughter who attended Herschel. Had he been living in Johannesburg he would have sent his
sons to St David’s. He served Bishops Council for 10 years and was chairman of the parents
association during this time. Derek has competed in 27 Cape Argus events and is a keen
mountain biker. He has recently retired and is looking into getting involved in some charity work.
Due to his location, he lost contact with his contemporaries. He did attend two reunions, one
after 25 years with a number of old boys from Johannesburg who had not seen each other since
matric. The next one after 30 years, he was the only old boy not living in Johannesburg who
attended. He felt that perhaps the reunions should be less structured with more time, not like the
dinners of the past. He would be interested in the book and would be prepared to pledge/buy a
copy.
JE October 2011

Egenrieder, Julie

Interview with Renzo Brocco 1963

  • ZA ZAR STDS 202000888
  • Item
  • 2011

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 -

Egenrieder, Julie