UCT LEGACY SOCIETY

NEWSLETTER

LEGACY @ UCT UCT Legacy Society

Comrades marathons to his credit. In his mid-50s, Russell is an all-rounder: historian, fundraiser, academic and former member of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Human Rights Violation Committee, which was chaired by Archbishop Emeritus . After completing a BA at UCT in 1979, a master’s at and a PhD René Nolte: UCT Legacy Officer. at Cambridge, he started off as a high he first half of 2014 is a thing of the past school history teacher in East London, later UCT LEGACY SOCIETY Tand we are moving ahead at full speed. moving to senior history researcher at Wits, Since last we communicated in December where he served on Senate and Council. there have been a lot of exciting changes in He has been published in leading journals fter much debate and research we have after the buildings and heritage of UCT. The the Development and Alumni Department. and has authored a book on ’s Adecided to rebrand the UCT Heritage main objective of the UCT Legacy Society, We welcomed a new Executive Director mining industry. Society as the UCT Legacy Society. Legacy, however, is to ensure a secure future for future in the person of Dr Russell Ally, who took Prior to his appointment to UCT, Russell according to the dictionary, is ‘a gift of generations of UCT students and to allow over from Dr Jim McNamara who retired spent five years as the Ford Foundation’s property, especially personal property, as UCT to continue to thrive and grow in order the end of last year. Russell is a man on the programme officer for Southern Africa, money, by will; a bequest’. In the past there to meet forthcoming challenges. Legacy gifts run. Not only at work, where he scoots from overseeing their governance and civil has been a bit of confusion around the use will ensure that your hard-earned assets will one meeting to the other, but as a fervent society programme in South Africa, of the word ‘Heritage’, as the perception was continue to benefit society for many decades road runner with nine Two Oceans and nine Namibia, and Mozambique. that we as a society are mandated to look to come.

Legacy events: UCT Legacy Society Guest lecture at summer school 25 January 2014

5 January saw the controversial Professor 2Tim Noakes delivering the UCT Legacy Society Guest Lecture at the 2014 Summer School. Lecture Theatre K1 at Kramer was packed as Tim spoke on Clarity out of Confusion – Which eating plan is best for my health? The lecture turned into a heated debate as members of the audience wanted to know what made him do a 360° turn on his promotion of 100-Up celebrations. carbo loading. Tim had some excellent retorts and used numerous examples of case studies Professor Sakhela Buhlungu – His Vision that followed the new high protein – low carb for the Faculty of Humanities – 26 February diet with excellent results. All’s well that ends well. Tim’s book The real meal Revolution was Johannesburg and 11 March on sale at the post lecture reception and within 30 minutes they were all sold out. rofessor Sakhela assumed the position of developing a sense of confidence and belief PDean of the Faculty of Humanities at the in learners’ abilities. University of in January 2014 and The programme consists of: UCT Birthday Bash this was an opportunity to introduce him to Residential camps: Learners attend UCT Alumni outside of Cape Town. Sakhela campus-based workshops that include 2 April 2014 spoke about his vision over the next few years, academic and psycho-social development; he UCT Birthday Bash was held in the particularly for the arts and education. He is Grade 11 & 12 tutoring: Saturday new EBE building on Upper Campus. A an eloquent speaker with a wonderful talent classes at UCT, focusing especially T lovely event arranged by UCT DAD on which for storytelling and a good sense of humour. on maths, science, accounting and we piggy-backed. This was also a last Alumni As it will be difficult to cover everything literary skills; event for DVC Prof Thandabantu Nhlapo who he said, I would like to highlight one of the Grade 10 tutoring: Weekly academic is leaving UCT after 24 years of involvement excellent UCT projects run by Prof Jonathan tutoring in Khayelitsha; with the institution. As usual Jessica Lyon Clarke of the SDU (School Development Unit) Gill net: Additional students in the final excelled on the catering side and her efforts The project is called: ‘100-Up’. year, bringing the cohort to 184 grade included a beautiful UCT birthday cake. This The crisis in South African public schools 12 learners for 2013; and was accompanied by some good music, has a direct impact on universities. Many Orientation: Support in the application comedy and South African wine. learners who attend township and rural process, financial aid applications, schools perform poorly in the matric NBT (entrance exam) assistance and examinations, which results in relatively few career guidance. Seven Khayelitsha Legacy Lunch – London 9 May 2014 of them qualifying for tertiary studies at learners who were not on the 100-Up institutions such as the University of Cape or Gill Net programmes were assisted pure ‘Ikey’ – warm and friendly. We had alumni Town (UCT). 100-Up is a UCT project with orientation and admission through from all walks of life including, Health Sciences, that aims to address the problem of under- the initiative. Law, Humanities, Education (not there anymore) representation by targeting school learners The results of the first cohort of 100-Up Architecture and many more. And a rowdy from disadvantaged backgrounds and learners in 2014 demonstrate the significant bunch they were – enjoying good South African coaching them towards access to university. impact of the programme: wine and food. The programme is a holistic initiative that All 184 learners of the 100-Up project Charles McGregor, member of the London builds intellectual, social and cultural passed matric, 173 achieved university UCT board of trustees, gave a very interesting capital. The pilot project started in 2011 level passes; and talk on where UCT is placed as a university on in Khayelitsha, with five Grade 10 learners 97 learners received acceptance letters to the bigger playing fields, as well as the vision identified from each of the 20 high schools study at UCT. 72 accepted and the rest for the future. Interesting questions were posed in the area. A new cohort of learners has took up offers at other universities. This and it turned into an excellent debate. been recruited each year since then. figure has more than doubled, compared n a blustery Friday, Angela Edwards from The Alexander family, donors of the Leah The aim of 100-Up is to strengthen with 29 in 2013. Three learners appeared Othe London DAD office and I had the Gamsa Sixpence Award, generously handed over students’ abilities in a number of core on the Education pleasure of hosting 25 alumni (mostly donors) a cheque to Angela, in the order of £2 500. academic areas. It provides opportunities to Department Merit List, one receiving an at the exciting South African-owned Vivat The networking afterwards was heartfelt acquire skills and experiences in preparation outstanding award for achievement amid Bacchus restaurant in Farringdon. Even though and a strong sense of unity towards UCT for tertiary studies, while at the same time adverse circumstances. it was cold outside the atmosphere inside was was tangible.

Dialougues of the Carmelites – Baxter Theatre Morning Melodies – 28 May 2014 12 June 2014

efore the performance of Poulanc’s stamina given that each act lasted an hour Bopera members of the UCT Legacy and a half. The voice of each and every Society met for a quick dinner and talk by one of the performers was extraordinarily assistant to the director Niel Barry Moss. beautiful and powerful. UCT Opera School The story of Carmelites is about a can indeed be proud of the calibre of pathologically fearful girl who takes refuge singers that they produce. No wonder they in an order of Carmelite nuns only to share take the professional opera world by storm their martyrdom in the French Revolution. once they graduate from UCT. The synopsis of the story and a discussion of Christine Crouse’s direction was extremely the background of the play by Niel helped well thought through and especially the to set the scene of a simple tragedy, rich in final scene was particularly powerful in its the emotions of fear, love and wonder. imagery and symbolism. As the nuns were Conductor and musical director Kamal led to their execution, singing the moving Khan played the piano with power and ‘Salve Regina’, they formed a cross on the energy throughout a feat of extraordinary stage. As each nun was guillotined, so her voice would be extinguished yet the power and volume of the chorus did not diminish embers of the UCT Legacy Society inspired by Grappelli and Django Reinhardt, until the last few nuns were left. The slow Mwere invited to attend a performance performed with boundless enthusiasm, build up was well worth the wait for this of the Morning Melodies Series at the made this concert enjoyable and inspiring. hauntingly beautiful finale. Baxter Theatre. Titia Blake (violin), Michael There was also the added bonus of Ross’s As attested by the sheer variety in the Hoole (guitar) and Ross Johnson (double world-class performances on pennywhistle – audience – of all SA cultures and from the bass and pennywhistle) are the three very a unique experience in itself! One can see young to the very old ­opera is not just for accomplished musicians of the Palm Strings why their broad repertoire, delivered with an elite few but is accessible and enjoyable Trio who cover any and every genre of music energy, refinement and sensitivity, as well for everyone. Hats off then to UCT Opera to please the seasoned concertgoer. Their as their personal audience contact, makes School for being at the forefront of the drive fresh reading of classical music, arranged them one of the most sought-after groups in to introduce opera to newcomers. by themselves, as well as their take on jazz the Western Cape.

Francis Wilson on Poverty and Inequality – Johannesburg 11 June and Port Elizabeth 19 June 2014

rancis Wilson, President of the UCT Legacy 2010 Time for a CarnegieIII? National being taken seriously and that there are FSociety had the cat among the pigeons Development Plan request – Strategies to people who put their money where their with his talk of Poverty and Inequality – a UCT overcome poverty and inequality. mouths are. perspective. I am not even going to try to It was an absolutely fascinating evening and summarise his talk in a few paragraphs, as I will should any of you need more information I will not be able to do it justice. Below, however, are send you a ‘two-pager’ of concise notes. the three main points that were covered in his At both events, we had very vocal audiences talks in Johannesburg and Port Elizabeth. and the debate around the tables carried on 1980’s Carnegie II: Inquiry into Poverty and way past dessert and coffee. I was amazed at Development; the knowledge shared by the alumni and the 1990’s Project for Statistics on Living passion expressed by people involved with Standards and Development and and some of the projects covered by Francis in the Revolution in the Social Sciences – his talk. One thing that was made very clear Computers, data, software [Stata] and the is that with such passion and involvement we Hennie & Loela Snyman. Internet; can be assured that poverty and inequality”is Julian and Tessa Ogilvy Thomson.

contributions by fellow alumni

We were overwhelmed by contributions from alumni Silasi M E Ngobe and friends and we won’t be able to use all the articles y UCT/GSB AIM 1993 was an eye- Mopener to me specifically, given my in this edition. Don’t despair though, as we will use background of poor family, it supported my ambition to do an MBA and doctorate. Now, them in the next edition that will appear at the end as I am writing this UCT legacy input, I am as busy as a bee with a Henley MBA, which I of September 2014. You are welcome to submit more am hoping to complete in 2015. articles as we will try to produce four newsletters annually from 2015. Silasi M E Ngobe. nostalgia rules An Unusual Wedding turn to ... well, pretty much anything other sharp at his office. Bill’s secretary could to be than studying, given the well–established my bridesmaid, his friend his best man. That tradition of frantic displacement activity that was all. No special clothes or anything. afflicts students when the prospect of having The day of the wedding was chaos. Someone to S.T.U.D.Y. all that stuff that flew over your had fired a shot at the flying boat. Bill was needed head during the year. for the investigation, his secretary to type the Surely you know the old UCT sayings? That notes. I was to take myself there by taxi. Soon when the ivy is green, it’s time to party; when after noon they turned up, straight from work. No the ivy falls off, it’s time to work; when the ivy time to change. The ceremony was interrupted comes back, it’s time to study; in the case of several times by phone calls asking the DC why failure to follow steps two and/or three, just he was late for golf and had he arranged a four keep partying; it’s too late for you.... for bridge that evening. We were finally married Ed Rybicki. Oh, and the statue of Cecil John Rhodes Nicolette Quekett. and went to a hotel nearby for drinks and snacks. below Jammie steps will stand up when a Office staff who had finished work were invited to t is quite amazing how quickly the years – virgin walks past (he hasn’t yet, although he t was 1 April 1946. Bill and I were working for join us. The first to arrive was the area manager Inay, decades! – flash by here at UCT. In the nearly did, once...). IBritish Overseas Airways in Mombasa. Bill had from Nairobi. He was passing through Mombasa. words of Pink Floyd: Some things never change: like the not been on home leave for seven years, due to Hearing Bill was leaving the next morning, he “And then one day you find 10 years have got average age of students, study habits, going the war, and was waiting for a seat on a plane. phoned Durban and changed his seat to the behind you, no–one told you when to run ...” to the beach rather than studying, drinking I was to follow, as we planned to get married following Sunday. So Bill had leave for a week, Except that this was forty years. Forty years! cheap wine ... ah, me. Forty years on, and I in England. We were told I had no priority and but I only had the morning off to get married. I Forty years since I first set foot in this hallowed remember it like yesterday. might wait for years. We should get married in met my afternoon plane at 15h00. As the pilot institution, as a wide–eyed country kid from Well some of it, anyway. The bits that haven’t Kenya so that I could travel as a staff wife. But came down the steps, he said “Oh, Miss Bodmer, Zimbabwe and Zambia. been corrupted by age, info overload, and when Bill was given a seat on 7 April, we had I mean Mrs Quekett, I thought you were having a It is really nostalgic, then, to walk along – dare I say it – too much cheap red wine. only six days to arrange the wedding. Bill had honeymoon.” Without thinking I replied, “Oh no University Avenue, under the trees that weren’t When I was a student, obviously. And not to buy some gold and find an Arab merchant sir, my husband is having it!” there forty years ago – and to remember. quite like yesterday – possibly last week. to turn it into a ring. The District Commissioner Remembering the notices for weekend And I still wonder, why do we do it like this? Why could marry us on Saturday 6 April at noon Nicolette Quekett (nee Bodmer) – Australia movies on and off campus, because that was do we have these tests of short–term retention, our entertainment then. Largely by Monty aka exams; why do we burden lecturers with Python’s And Now For Something Completely marking many versions of the same thing, in Different, as I remember. handwriting that varies from the childishly clear Lily McGregor Remembering sitting on Jammie Steps to through to the completely frantically illegible? completed a BSc in 1959 and obtained a soak up the sun, after an 8c cup of coffee in the This is the computer age, people; I remember IBSc(Hons) in Chemistry in 1960. I was very Union – or possibly a 35c plate of bolognaise. doing multiple choice/guess back in 1975 involved in the SCA during my time at UCT, Remembering sloping off down the hill to that was marked by computers – so why isn’t and met my wife Anne (nee Scott) through our Belsen (aka Driekoppen, now Kopano), and everything done that way now? Why is it still membership of the SCA. then possibly to the Pig – or Forries, if someone about recycling the lecturer’s utterances/notes In my third year, I became secretary of the SCA had a car. And from Pig to La Perla – later La – something about which I heard a colleague at UCT. One day I was looking through some Pergola, then Nauty’s Moonlight Grill – for once remark, “Regurgitatus est”?? old minute books dating back to the 1920s, an occasional steak or hamburger special Because it’s the easiest thing, I suppose. and found the following statement in one set of at 65c the plate. With the Temptations’ Papa Because changing systems would entail a minutes: “In the absence of the Chairman, the Was a Rollin’ Stone or Marvin Gaye’s version complete restructuring of our pedagogy President of the women’s work, Lily McGregor, of I Heard it Through the Grapevine playing, (someone once called me a pedagogue, chaired the meeting”. seemingly every time we were there. before I knew what it meant, and I nearly Lily McGregor (Elizabeth Augusta McGregor) Ah, long ago, and far away. Except that a hit them ... hey, I’ve only just learnt what was my late mother who, sadly, had died just new generation seems to be growing the same a metaphor is in SoJS–style discourse!). before my fifth birthday. How meaningful it was to length of hair and listening to some of the Because ... it’s what students want?? And discover that my mother, as a student, had also same music – and our eyes grow misty. Plus ca they do, they do... ! held a position of leadership in the SCA. She was change, plus c’est la meme chose, we guess. Bless them. Because you’re not allowed to a niece of one of UCT’s first women graduates, my And so the leaves fall off the ivy – sorry, kill them. great-aunt Miss Henrietta Maria (Hetty) McGregor. Virginia creeper – that adorns our venerable buildings, and a young person’s thoughts Ed Rybicki – Cape Town Johan Roos – Johannesburg unversity house reunion The game

n June 2006 UH alumnus Clive Grossman would not have been such a wonderful success Iemailed us from Hong Kong to find out if we without the very helpful and valuable assistance had any plans for a previously mentioned UH of many UCT staff in both the Alumni Office and get-together, to which I replied that it had to be in on the campus. t happened by accident. Trying to keep ahead technique to South Africa) and thus began my Cape Town in 2007 before we moved to Perth, In September 2013 a mini reunion was Iof the insistent demands of the computer and appreciation of the game and its nuances. In Australia in May 2007. Clive said “count me in” held in London, where 15 UH-ers and some too many emails, I came upon the video of the time, I ended up playing a few games with the and cc’ed all his UH friends. The whole thing of their ladies gathered for a very enjoyable incredible come-from-behind victory of the Ikey thirds, an achievement I still relish. snowballed from there such that a database of lunch after a visit by some to the London Eye. Tigers. As I looked at the final minutes of the game But as I also discovered, there was a downside about 400+ names was established, 10% of The March 2007 reunion ran at a I became drawn into the drama of the moment, to UCT rugby, in fact to almost all UCT whom had sadly passed away. Probably 250+ considerable profit and with further donations silently cheering on the never-say-die, never-quit teams. They were all white, `european’ as the UH-ers were contacted and UH-ers resident in from the 1958-1965 UH-ers, it was decided to Tigers. So involved did I become in the drama of expression went in those days. Even while the South Africa, Zimbabwe, the UK, Hong Kong, establish the UH Alumni Trust, which has been the game, that I viewed the video perhaps four or Cape coloured would cheer on UCT against the Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the USA set up to benefit the current students at the five times. But there was more to it than just the Afrikaner Stellenbosch, they were not allowed attended the subsequent reunion. residence. It would be wonderful if this trust victory, the snatching of victory from the jaws of to be part of the UCT 15. As for the majority In March 2007 approximately 150 people could continue and could be contributed to defeat. It was the context that said it all. blacks, there was little cheering for any side. The (UH 1958-1965 alumni – the Woolsack years – by UH alumni from other years. It is a unique I had learned to love the game when I was a harsh reality of race relations exacerbated by the and some wives) attended a four-day weekend residence and all old UH-ers can now give Canadian exchange junior lecturer-cum-student growing spread and enforcement of , of reunion functions. The weekend kicked off back to the residence that they called ‘home’ at UCT over a half a century ago. Initially I had negated any support for either university. If UCT with a Thursday evening cocktail party. On the during their time at UCT. some reservations concerning life and limb when was struggling to maintain its status as a `colour Friday morning the group was addressed on Without our reunion, we would not have I saw well-built men in top physical condition blind’ university, that blindness did not extend the campus by the deans of Engineering and the strong Alumni Office ties that we enjoy bash into each other sans things like helmets, to non-whites playing alongside whites in any Law; before an enjoyable lunch was held in today. I continue to think that appeals should shoulder pads, and other pieces of armour that I sport. It was that history that made the game the old Students’ Union, where two current UH be made directly to alumni in their individual had worn playing American style football at the I was viewing so poignant. There, on the pitch residents addressed the gathering. That night groups, i.e. by faculty and by residence and University of British Columbia. It all seemed a bit was the new South Africa, the integrated UCT a wonderful braai was held at the beautiful definitely for particular projects. Jeremy is the self-destructive, but I fast learned that if I was to team, a team that found within themselves the Muldersvlei Farm. Saturday saw two coaches Perth Convenor for his old KZN school (about make any impact on my fellow students, if I was will and ability to win. It also suggested that of UH alumni and their ladies on a tour of the 55 old boys here in Perth). We managed to to carry forth the `flag’ of my `home and native there were no whites and non-whites, but only peninsula before a black tie dinner was held in raise a nice little sum for the school’s archive land‘ I had to get out there, onto the `pitch’ , bound together in common purpose. Smuts Hall. Professor Stuart Saunders and Mrs digitisation project. The UH Trust should (never a field, I discovered) and start bashing. So I do not know if those players socialise outside Saunders attended the dinner and, in spite of succeed if UH Alumni can be directly targeted it was I started my rugby career with the sixths, of the team, but if I may quote Shakespeare`for the appalling acoustics, we all enjoyed Professor – and they must be told what the money will a collection of often very good players who he who bleedes with me this day shall be my Saunders’ after-dinner speech. He had been be used, for which is why we must tidy up the eschewed the discipline and demands of the brother’. Well perhaps not brother, but possibly the UH sub-warden during the time the reunion terms and conditions of our trust before we all upper teams, but liked the essentials, laughter a friend. Will it be said that the real moment of attendees had been in the residence. The are no longer here. I want the trust to be left in and lime after the game, the camaraderie, the reconciliation and integration began, not with weekend ended with a farewell breakfast at the the care of a safe pair of hands. `just for the hell of it’ attitude. commissions, but on the playing field? Milnerton Golf Club. This reunion was arranged I slowly learned the basics (and I still take credit entirely by the attendees for the attendees, but it Jeremy Wood – Australia for introducing the overhand American throwing Peter Sliverman – Canada

In Memory

Ada Truppin (nee Swersky) Bob Allen. B.Arch, Cape Town, 1972 to 1978 passed away on 4 March 2014, after living in Auckland, New Zealand for the past 19 years. 25 July 1925 to 27 September 2011

Peter Krummeck, who was a lecturer at the UCT Drama School in the 1970s, died in She registered for the MBChB degree Cape Town on 9 November 2013, after a battle with cancer. in 1948. In 1949 she was awarded the class medals for pathology (3rd year) and Sven Harald Thönell, 31 July 1943, Mnene, Zimbabwe to 23 October 2013, pharmacology. In 1951 she received the Nedlands, Australia. class medal for surgery. Ada and her husband went to the United States of America where she completed her internship in 1953 at the Mount Sinai Hospital in New York. She subsequently completed Conclusion: her residency in paediatrics in 1960, and commenced a practice. In 1973 she became hank you for taking the time to read For those who are still contemplating the From left to right: E. Dowdie, Ada Truppin a resident in psychiatry at Mount Sinai and Tour newsletter. Should you have any possibility, please make contact with me and and R. Frater. completed this in 1976. suggestions or contributions, please let us I will send you all the relevant information From that time until 2005 she was hear from you. regarding codicils, tax breaks and benefits da Truppin BSc 1944 and MBChB 1952 in private practice as a psychiatrist in The Legacy Society is growing rapidly and for UCT Legacy members. Awith honours and distinction in the New York. we now stand at 207 members. This is an A legacy gift will ensure that your hard- second and final professional exams. Ada died on September 27, 2011. amazing upward swing. If you remember, we earned assets will continue to benefit the Ada matriculated from the Good Hope She is deeply mourned by her two started out with 22 members at the end of for many decades Seminary (School) in Cape Town in 1940. daughters, grandchildren, family, and many 2011. Thank you for supporting us. If you to come. With your support we can turn our In 1944 she completed a BSc degree at the colleagues and friends. are intending to leave a legacy to UCT in short- and medium-term plans, into a long- University of Cape Town with distinction in your will and have not as yet notified us, term solution. physiology, for which she also received the please do so, as we would love to welcome class medal. Hannah Reeve Sanders – Cape Town you as a member of the UCT Legacy Society. Until next time. With warm Ikey regards.

Contact

René Nolte Alumni Legacy Officer University of Cape Town Development and Alumni Department 021 650 4106 082 573 1342 [email protected] www.uct.ac.za

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