6 Year Old Pays With His Life

Thursday, 17 July, will forever be etched in the memories of pupils and staff of Sydenham Primary School. A day of tragedy that claimed the life of 6-year-old Ibenathi Mgiqika.

The grade one pupil, of Wandsbeck Road was run over by a black Mercedes while crossing Clare Road between Burnwood and Crouch Roads. It is alleged that the impact resulted in the child being dragged almost two metres. He died instantly due to severe injuries to the head. All that remained for his friends was the gory scene and memories of the friendship they shared. A wreath was placed on the school fence to remember the little life that is no more.

Schools in the vicinity are Rippon and Sydenham Primary and Burnwood Secondary. The majority of the learners utilise public transport that travels on Clare Road. There are high volumes of foot traffic to the schools in the morning and afternoon, where the constant danger of children being killed or injured is high. Sydenham Primary School Principal Alec Samuels said he spoke to the traffic authorities on numerous occasions to install speed calming measures on Clare Road. He said he wrote to Metro Police requesting a scholar patrol in the vicinity to no avail. Samuels highlighted a faulty traffic light with broken buttons and lights that stayed on the entire day.

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Happy Birthday, Madiba!

Nelson Mandela, who emerged from decades in prison under apartheid to become South Africa’s first black president, turns 90 on Friday, 18 July, and is assured of a place in history as one of the world’s greatest statesmen.

While he has grown increasingly frail and has limited his public appearances, his status as a global icon has only expanded thanks to his charity efforts and occasional pronouncements on world affairs.

The eyes of the world were on Mandela on 11 February 1990 when he emerged from 27 years of imprisonment for opposing the apartheid regime.

Four years later, the prisoner became president, setting South Africa on a course toward reconciliation by restoring dignity to the black majority and reassuring white people they had nothing to fear from change.

"We enter into a covenant that we shall build a society in which all South Africans, both black and white, will be able to walk tall, without any fear in their hearts, assured of their inalienable right to human dignity - a rainbow nation at peace with itself and the world," he declared when he became President in 1994.

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Brothers On The High Bar

They love tumbling around, going up on the high bar and swinging on the rings.

Sydenham gymnastics enthusiasts Nathanael Van Wyk and his brother Gabriel are making leaps and bounds in the gymnasium field.

Nathanael (12) and Gabriel (10) of Charles Hugo Primary were selected to represent Kwa Zulu Natal in Gymnastics at a venue in Mpumalanga.

The brothers took a keen interest in gymnastics after their parents introduced it to them when they were in pre-school.

"We wanted our children to participate in some kind of sport. After they tried various codes of sports Nathaneal loved gymnastics and soccer. From that moment he has progressed tremendously. He has also influenced and inspired his Gabriel to take up gymnastics," said proud mother Linzel.

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