The May 2010 Newsletter is now available to download.

Click here to go to the download section to download the latest SACS OBU Newsletter. You will need Adobe Reader.

Please be aware that you will need a password to download the Newsletter. If you do not have one, you can contact OBU offices.

Old Boys' Union News

• Ryan Sandes ('00) is a candidate for the Men's Health Best Man 2010 Award
• Chairman's Report from the 2010 SACS OBU AGM
• List of Donors to the Once-Off Levy Appeal
• A Great Varsity Man - Tom Hamman ('36)
• Gregory Parvess ('99) in Class Act
• Architect's Impression of the Hockey Dugout
• Bennie Rabinowitz and the Battle for the Sea Point Promenade

Posted 2

July 2010

Ryan Sandes ('00) is a candidate for the Men's Health Best Man 2010 Award

Ultra-marathon runner Ryan Sandes ('00) is a candidate for the Men's Health Best Man 2010 Award. Please vote for Ryan in the 'Young Gun' category.

The first phase of the voting opens from 23 June (Wednesday) and closes on 7 July. The three finalists per category will be chosen from here.

The second phase of the voting opens on the 21 July and closes on 30 July. The winner will be announced on the evening of the gala dinner on 12 August.

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Posted 10

June 2010

Chairman's Report from the 2010 SACS OBU AGM

CHAIRMAN’S REPORT FOR SACS OBU AGM ON TUESDAY 8 JUNE 2010

Gentlemen – it is with pleasure that I present this report to you.

After being elected as Chairman at the 2009 AGM I stated that I had THREE specific aims: to start to sort out the Union’s finances, to work with a happy OBU Committee and to ensure that the OBU gave both Headmasters and Schools our total support in the year ahead.

Within ten days of last year’s AGM I chaired a meeting of Senior Old Boys whose financial expertise I unreservedly respect. With the endorsement of your Committee it was decided to ask Old Boys who had matriculated in 1996 and before to pay a one-off levy of R1 500. Moreover, it was also decided to ask members to pay an annual membership fee from this year of R200 - this annual subscription will be applied on a ‘sliding scale’ – i.e. each year another class will be added. Matrics joining the Union now receive their tie and free membership until they are 30 years of age – after that the R200 annual membership fee will apply.

Thanks to the fantastic work done by Trevor Fish [Chairman] and Tony Pocock [Treasurer] the SACS Foundation is strong and is doing the Schools and the Union proud – many thanks to all Trustees who give of their time so freely.

At the end of last year John Ince retired as Executive Director of the Union – during his tenure over 3200 ‘lost’ members were added to our membership. He has done amazing work for SACS and the OBU! John is now contracted for the year, coming in twice a week – his newsletters are superb and most informative.

Following John’s partial ‘retirement’ the OBU Office has been brilliantly run by Sandy Edwards – Sandy we salute you and thank you for all that you do – going the ‘extra mile’ is the norm for this wonderful lady!

Committee meetings were happy, productive and seldom lasted longer than 90 minutes. Kevin Wicht [Head Prefect in 1971 and now Chairman of the SGB] was invited to sit on the Committee – his input has been appreciated. Alexei Du Bois has done a fine job as Minuting Secretary and our Treasurer, Martin Ammermann has taken our Financial planning and organization to a new level. My sincere thanks go to these Committee members as well as to the others: Marc Wighard, Michael Dumaresq [both run our Young Old Boys’ sub-committee], Clem Druker whose astute advice was always appreciated – Kumesh Moodley, a real ideas man and five gentlemen steeped in SACS tradition: John Ince, John Loydell, Geoff Olivier, Nic Koch [co-opted] and Alan Footman. Thanks too to our two Headmasters, Ken Ball and Francois Nel for their enthusiasm, support and hard work in the interests of the OBU and the wider SACS community.

Wonderful work is being done by various sub-unions around the world – there are 4 in Australia (Sydney, Perth, Melbourne & Brisbane), 2 in New Zealand (Auckland & Christchurch), USA, London, Israel, Johannesburg, Hermanus and Stellenbosch. Last year I was fortunate to attend a terrific dinner in Johannesburg organized by Paul Rauch – the very dedicated John Fiser has now taken over from Paul. He along with Howard Davy, Dave Ellis, Graham Brown, Hugh Fraser, Chris Pattison, Carl Snitcher, Grant Halstead, Rob Cotty, Guy Leary, Marke Markowitz, Michael Cherry, Leo Benning and Robin Douglas deserve our sincere thanks for all they do!

Chris Botha [E’94 Head Prefect] proved to be an outstanding MC at our Dinner held at Simon’s Restaurant owned by Old Boy, Mike Lumb [E’83] – the move to Groot Constantia saw us able to reduce costs and still enjoy a great evening.

I wish to extend a special welcome to our President, Clive Luyt – who will be 93 years old in August, also a special welcome to Gerald Anstey!

The SACS OB Waterpolo Club continues to flourish – this past summer they reached all four finals, winning 3! The club continues to grow under the leadership of Chairman Rob Lumb [E’84] – a record 6 teams have been entered into the Winter League, including a Ladies team, coached and managed by the irrepressible Alan John Footman [E’74 and Committee member].

Gentlemen, I thank you for your attention
SIMON PERKIN [CHAIRMAN]

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Posted 10

June 2010

A Big Thank You from the Old Boys' Union!

We wish to thank all Old Boys listed below very much indeed for their magnificent response to our “One-Off Appeal Levy”.

We are truly indebted to you for your loyal support of the Old Boys Union.

List as of 7 June 2010:

If you have made a contribution to the “One-Off “ Levy, and your name does not appear above, please contact the OBU office, as we are experiencing problems with certain names/references on the bank statements.  We do apologise for any omissions at this stage, and will make every effort to rectify these errors as soon as possible.

Thank you
Sandy and John

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Posted 9 June 2010

A Great Varsity Man - Tom Hamman ('36)

An article from the May 2010 Ikeys Rugby News about Tom Hugo-Hamman ('36) and his rugby career, written by Gavin Fernie.

View the article »

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Posted 4 May 2010

Gregory Parvess ('99) in Class Act (SABC1, Saturdays at 18:30)

Greg Parvess is a SACS Old Boy and Cape Town based actor and competed on the reality TV acting show CLASS ACT on SABC 1 Saturdays at 18.30.

The show itself has cracked the top ten most watched on TV and has a viewership of around 4 million South Africans.

Each week the actors are put through their paces in mini movies or screen test in an attempt to gauge their talent and ability. The public is then required to vote via SMS the Name of their favorite contestant to 34777 - if they do so they stand a chance to win weekly prizes including airtime vouchers and a Bose home theatre system, also they stand a chance to win the grand prize an Audi TT coupe.

Greg made it through the intitial rounds of the show and and was guaranteed a place on the final 5 contests.

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Posted 4 May 2010

Architect's Impression of the Hockey Dugout

An architect’s perspective (by Paulo Viotti of Vivid Architects, an Associate member of the OBU, with two sons at SACS) of the proposed hockey dugouts to be built at the Astroturf. The initiative came from Kevin Dore and the class of 1983, who raised approximately R30 000 towards this project, and which has not been taken up by the School’s Governing Body and Junior and High School parents of hockey playing fraternity and Old Boys who have an interest in hockey.

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Posted 23 April 2010

Bennie Rabinowitz ('49) and the Battle for the Sea Point Promenade

In an article from the Atlantic Sun, Bennie Rabinowitz ('49) states his happiness with the recent High Court ruling effecting the development of the Sea Point promenade, but cautions that the battle is far from over.

Read the article from the Atlantic Sun, 1 April 2010.

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