Robben Island

Nelson Mandela's cell














The Malay section in Cape Town















What can I say















Cape Point (Cape of Good Hope)

Table Mountain was windy














But beautiful














Our tou guide at Robben Island was there for five years. No anger, no recriminations at all

St Peters School - Intumbane School Meeting

This was the scene greeting us on arrival

Linda Ozols from St Peters School presented with flowers

Bongekele Radabe and Linda Ozols

The beginning of the End - a farewell dinner

A treasured gift

Thembi presenteda gift

Vusi made an amazing speech

Carol's dining room transformed

Wednesday and Thursday spent working on the AAF project. At the apartment all day except for lunch with Christine Mennell in Winterton on Thursday.
Wednesday morning went to Bergville Primary School to talk to a group of kids who said they would like to heat about Australia – mainly grad 3&4. Lots of questions from the photos I had and what I thought would be a half hour went for over an hour and a quarter.

Dinner Wednesday night was something else. Carol had arranged a dinner for me to farewell me and next week being Easter meant it was on tonight. A dozen people from Philakahle staff and board and Jackie a student from Pretoria got a candlelit dinner. Vusi Maphalala who I know the least and had the least to do with made a speech which had me in tears. The reference to the “old man” was a sign of respect not of my age. He said he could see I was an old man who moved fast (sounds like I am at work) and said some really nice things. My response was about having learned a lot more from these guys than they from me. I was humbled and appreciated this time here as a contrast to our material wealth in Oz and their self sacrifice every day I was with them. Also I indicated I knew visitors were difficult to accommodate and I was appreciative of their warmth and openness. Present tonight were from the Board John Green, Mumtaz Asmal, Monika Holst and staff were Vusi, TK, Ntombifuthi, Mamsey, Busi, Carol, Thembi, Phum.

the beginning of the end - Canadians in town

Ntombifuthi and I looking at spreadsheets

Thembi wowing the Canadians

Tuesday was my turn on devotions. Mathew 6 – hypocrisy.
Lots of preparation with the Canadian International Dev Agency arriving. Final run thru presentation with Thembi who was no longer the shy quiet Zulu and was looking very confident. Set the hall up and running the clock only to learn the Canadians were an hour late. On arrival it transpired the head of CIDA in Canada (DG equivalent in NSW PS parlance) was one of the people visiting. Presentation excellent. I sat at the back and just provided a few cues. Hard to believe this is the first time this young Zulu has done a powerpoitn presentation. Lots and lots of questions from the Canadians. It was apparent they did not understand the cultural context. They then went to visit a garden and speak to someone who was HIV+. Lunch was cancelled as they were there for well over an hour and half. A two hour visit panned out to nearly three and a half and they went to Durban without lunch. All happy with the day.
I spent the rest of the afternoon in the office. Ntombifuthi asked me some questions about how AAF wanted finances reported and variance budgets so spent a bit of time explaining what it was the Treasurer of their Board was asking her to do.
Thembi, Tk and I then spent till 7pm working on a monitoring report for AAF back home. These guys work hard.

A busy Monday

The Kindy class ayt Intumbane

Monday 30 March
Went to the clinic at 7.30am for my second rabies shot. Meds had not arrived from Emmaus so was told to return later in the day. Just what I needed.
Went to Intumbane to take photos of each class. Spent time talking to Bongke and the principal about the St Peters waterpump and went through the quote I had picked up on the way suggesting the school should look at its resources as St Peters were paying for the pump and installation and the irrigation needed to be a school project
Got through 16 classes in 90 minutes setting up each group in their class with teachers. Kids are just so well behaved and responsive. Aussie teachers would die to teach here. Got away about 11.30. Rang and cancelled lunch with Christine Mennell as I had to spend time with Thembi and TK helping with the presentation for the Canadians tomorrow and had some other things including my rabies shot to attend to so the drive to Winterton was out.

Got to clinic still no rabies shot so the very nice 70 yo (yes 70 yo) nursing sister gave me my shot using someone else’s medication and said she would repay that person when mine arrived. She explained the SA pension she got from all her working life was inadequate so she just keeps on working ( I assume there will be many in the west in the same boat after the WFC).

Went through the presentation with Thembi and did some editing. Got her to run thru and gave her some feedback. The quiet shy Zulu girl four days ago was developing some confidence. Monika wanted to go through it with her so I left her to do that on her own. Feedback later that night was very positive. Thembi Tk and I spent till 7pm working on a monitoring report for AAF back home. These guys work hard.
Dinner Monday night just with Carol as no other guests tonight.

A busy Monday

The Kindy class ayt Intumbane

This is one very skilled nurse

Monday 30 March
Went to the clinic at 7.30am for my second rabies shot. Meds had not arrived from Emmaus so was told to return later in the day. Just what I needed.
Went to Intumbane to take photos of each class. Spent time talking to Bongke and the principal about the St Peters waterpump and went through the quote I had picked up on the way suggesting the school should look at its resources as St Peters were paying for the pump and installation and the irrigation needed to be a school project
Got through 16 classes in 90 minutes setting up each group in their class with teachers. Kids are just so well behaved and responsive. Aussie teachers would die to teach here. Got away about 11.30. Rang and cancelled lunch with Christine Mennell as I had to spend time with Thembi and TK helping with the presentation for the Canadians tomorrow and had some other things including my rabies shot to attend to so the drive to Winterton was out.

Got to clinic still no rabies shot so the very nice 70 yo (yes 70 yo) nursing sister gave me my shot using someone else’s medication and said she would repay that person when mine arrived. She explained the SA pension she got from all her working life was inadequate so she just keeps on working ( I assume there will be many in the west in the same boat after the WFC).

Went through the presentation with Thembi and did some editing. Got her to run thru and gave her some feedback. The quiet shy Zulu girl four days ago was developing some confidence. Monika wanted to go through it with her so I left her to do that on her own. Dinner Monday night just with Carol as no other guests tonight.