Dear Parents and Guardians

As we conclude the eighth week of Term I with our annual Founder’s Day and transition to winter sports, there is a new “buzz” in the school – anticipating the start of the winter sporting season which most boys enjoy greatly. Again, I urge parents to help their son(s) finish the term strongly, fulfilling all commitments until the very end.

We will shortly be enjoying a two-week break, although many boys will be involved for part of that break in sports tours. My thanks go, once again, to the staff and coaches who give up their time in the holidays to take our teams away. While we do it out of love for the activity, it is still extra time “at work” and I thank them all for their contribution.

I shall not be able to travel with a team this year as I am heading to South Korea to attend my son’s wedding. I will return for the start of the second term but am very excited to be part of this special occasion where Eastern and Western cultures combine.

The Bishops “brand”

We have a very comprehensive Brand Manual, as most organisations do, laying out clearly when images/names/badges may be used and by whom. In short, the only approval for the use of the words “Bishops” or “Diocesan College” may be given by the Executive, through our Marketing Manager. The badge may never be used unless permission has been sought and given by the school. We must protect our brand in the same way that companies protect theirs and while we have many well-meaning groups full of enthusiasm, working to support our school and our boys, they must obtain permission before using our images, logos etc.

We have also had instances of boys creating social media content while identifiable as a Bishops boy. This should be avoided as it creates possible problems for the boy(s) involved. We have to be careful what we post online in terms of images of our staff and boys so I would urge parents to be careful themselves. Posting a picture of your own child is usually fine, but with other children can sometimes be problematic. There are very dangerous people out there who troll the internet for images of children or who steal identities. We simply need to be more vigilant in how we share the successes of our children online.

Founder’s Day

We held a special assembly this morning where we were honoured to have one of our youngest ODs address the boys. Imad Khan plays professional rugby for the Stormers and is busy making his mark in rugby, having represented Bishops so well while at school. His address was inspiring and appropriate, going down very well with the boys.

Our orchestra played Holst’s Jupiter superbly and I compliment them highly on this  performance. It is interesting to note that the tune from our much-loved school hymn. “I Vow to Thee my country” comes from this piece!

The usual activities with the Avenue Mile, tug-of-war, inter-house contests and house gatherings went well, and we are looking forward to the fixtres against our ODs as part of this special day. The day will be rounded off with an art exhibition of works from various ODs in the Mitre. The full gallery can be viewed on our website https://www.flickr.com/photos/bishopsza/collections/72157723679044918/

Iftar

I attended the annual Iftar, held recently in the ULC, where over 120 people, boys, parents and staff, gathered either to break fast together, to learn from each other, or simply as a show of support for our Muslim families.

We were honoured to have the Bishop of Table Bay, Joshua Louw, in attendance and he addressed the gathering on his experiences of events such as this that are community building, including from his ten years in Manenburg.

The Bishop was accompanied by the Dean of the Coventry Cathedral, The Very Reverend John Witcombe, who was visiting Cape Town. He too addressed the audience, telling his story of how his cathedral hosts annual iftars in the church itself and how he found these events to be wonderfully uniting for communities who spend every day living or working together.

My thanks to our staff, parents and boys for a wonderful evening.

Other news

Our water polo pool heads slowly towards completion and what a facility it will be once finished! The support from the parent supporters’ group has been wonderful and enabled us to provide much-needed finishing touches to this special space that will serve us well for many years.

The planning for the second Astro is well underway, and we are, as shared, starting on 17 August this year at the conclusion of the winter sports season. This project includes a much-needed revamp of the Woodlands Pavilion and the changing and ablution facilities in particular. I am hesitant to commit to a completion date as experience with recent projects has shown, but we are cautiously hoping for all to be ready for the start of the second term in 2027.

Our Inter House Gala was held recently and my thanks to all staff who co-ordinated the event and the boys who swam so well.

On Wednesday evening, the boys defeated SACS to win the league finals. They now hold all five major trophies in a single season, a level of dominance most teams only dream of. It reflects their consistency, depth, resilience, and that special momentum that comes when a group truly believes in one another. I am very proud of our boys and the coaches and managers and very grateful to parents and others who have supported them along the way. Well done boys!

Final thoughts

“Between action and reaction lies consequence.” This is a phrase I share often with the boys, asking them to pause and think before acting sometimes. I ask us as adults to consider this too.

We are often only too quick to fire off an email, a text or post something that we may regret later and cannot be undone. When I started my teaching career, the fax machine had only just made its way into schools. Handwritten letters were the order of the day – from the school to parents and from parents to the school. By the time the letter had been written, posted, received, opened, read and responded to, significant time had elapsed which allowed for a greater calmness and rationality when dealing with a potentially difficult situation. In many cases, time itself had reduced the impact of the incident to the extent that it was no longer an issue.

I ask us all to be careful when sending communications to each other and pause, putting time between action and reaction. Often the consequence is so much better for all involved.

As this was Founder’s Day, I did not have my own message for the boys but share the one I covered last week when I spoke of “followership” as an essential part of leadership.

I wish you well for the last few weeks of term.

Kind regards

Antony Reeler
Principal

Followership is Leadership too

We spend a great deal of time talking about leadership and how to develop the leader within each one of us. Yet we don’t spend much time talking about one of the most important aspects of leadership – followership.

In an article I read recently written in the Harvard Business Review, authors Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic and Amy Edmondson describe followership skills as “the capacity to learn, listen, collaborate, challenge and adjust in service of something larger than oneself.”

skilfully but rather about mastering the capacity to follow well, even from a position of power, setting aside selfish or individualistic agendas to become part of a collective unit – to achieve something none could do alone.”

They continue to explain that many leaders focus on reputation, looking good, appearing smart and competent showing that they alone are the experts in their field yet Socrates, the ancient Greek philosopher had this to say: “Smart people learn from everything and everyone, average people from their experiences. Stupid people already have all the answers.”

In order to practise good leadership, we need to appreciate followership, showing humility, curiosity, being receptive to feedback and dissent, and letting go of ego. In our world of AI, human qualities of leadership become even more important - creating genuine connections.

The authors talk about five capabilities in this leadership/followership dynamic:

1. Active listening – not getting defensive, being patient, humble and willing to be wrong. Listening to listen, not to respond.
2. Prioritising purpose – focussing on the collective mission where ego comes second to the bigger issue
3. Reliable execution – making things happen
4. Critical dissent – where followers challenge constructively asking questions and where leaders welcome such dissent
5. Coachability – being a constant learner, seeking feedback as a means of learning, not to defend oneself. Coachable followers are not limited by the past or hamstrung by the present but learn in order to attain a better future.

I watched a video that was made many years ago entitled “Leadership lessons from the dancing guy” in which there were people sitting in the sun on a patch of grass in a park. Suddenly, one person got up on his own and felt moved to dance. Initially people looked at him as if he was weird, laughed and scorned him. Then someone joined him and now there were two. It was less of an issue of derision and became more of a curiosity thing. Then a third joined. Very quickly thereafter hundreds joined in the dance because it had become cool not to laugh at the crazy dancing guy but to join in and be part of the crowd. The leader was brave, but so too were the first and second followers. The followers created the movement, not the leader.

Leadership is something we speak of often – at schools, in universities, in work. We don’t often talk about followership and perhaps that is one of the best qualities of a good leader – knowing when to lead yes, but, more importantly, when to follow.

It may sound strange in our hierarchical society – older people are supposed to have wisdom and be the leaders, yet they exclude the younger at their peril. Each one has their place – be open to the idea of followership too.

History Society Report: FW de Klerk Foundation Annual Conference

The History Society attended the FW de Klerk Foundation Annual Conference, themed “Local Government Elections 2026: Chances and Challenges for Municipalities to Fulfil Their Constitutional Mandate.”

Key speakers included:
• Velenkosini Hlabisa, Minister of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs
• Tsakani Maluleke, Auditor-General of South Africa
• Dr Ruben Richards, Executive Deputy Mayor of the Cederberg Municipality

They explored challenges in local governance, accountability, leadership quality and the role of communities in strengthening democracy.
The conference concluded with the posthumous awarding of the FW de Klerk Goodwill Award to Dr Franklin Sonn, accepted by his family.

The History Society, led by Michael Whitelaw, gained valuable insights into contemporary governance and civic responsibility. We remain grateful for our ongoing partnership with the FW de Klerk Foundation.

Water Polo

KES Tournament

The Bishops 1st Water Polo Team delivered an outstanding performance at the prestigious KES Tournament this past weekend, securing the title for the second year in a row. The team demonstrated exceptional skill, teamwork, and determination throughout the tournament, going unbeaten in every match on their road to the final.

Match Results:
Clifton: 10–4
Jeppe: 15–4
St David’s: 9–8
Quarter-Finals vs Hilton: 9–2
Semi-Finals vs SACS: 11–9
Final vs St David’s: 12–8

This superb run of form reflects the hard work and commitment of the players and coaching staff, as well as the strength of the Bishops Water Polo programme.

Individual Honours:
Michael Mafunda and James Malan were selected for the Tournament Team, an honour awarded to the top performers across all schools.
Tim Young received the title of Defender of the Tournament, highlighting his consistency and defensive excellence.
Matt Fenn was voted the Player of the Tournament, a remarkable achievement that speaks to his leadership and impact in the pool.

Mazinter Cup

Congratulations to the Bishops 1st Team Water Polo side, who have added yet another medal to their impressive collection by winning the Western Cape Water Polo Mazinter Cup Final, defeating SACS 13–7.

This victory is the perfect finishing touch to an extraordinary season for Bishops Water Polo, who also claimed honours at the St Stithians Stayers Tournament, the St Andrew’s Tournament, the SACS Nite League Tournament, and the KES Water Polo Tournament. It has truly been an exceptional season, built on a strong team culture, unwavering commitment, and consistent hard work.

Water Polo 1st Team Goalie Michael Mafunda achieves 125 Caps.

Congratulations to Michael Mafunda, who has reached the remarkable milestone of playing over 125 matches for the Bishops 1st Team. This is an extraordinary achievement that reflects his consistency, dedication, and commitment to the sport. In recognition of this outstanding contribution, Michael is awarded his Honorary 1st Team Cap. This honour highlights not only his longevity and impact, but also the example he has set both in and out of the pool.

U15A Water Polo Tournament Report

The U15A Water Polo team recently travelled to Gqeberha to compete in the Grey High Investec Tournament, delivering an outstanding performance throughout.

They finished at the top of their pool, progressing confidently into the knockout stages. In a tense quarter-final against Paarl Boys’ High, the boys showed composure and resilience to secure a hard fought 8–6 victory.

In the semi-final, they continued their strong form with a win over Selborne College, advancing to the final against Wynberg Boys’ High School.

The team once again demonstrated exceptional skill, discipline and teamwork, winning the final 5–3 to claim the gold medal.

A special congratulations goes to Matt Dimitri-Kark, named Attacker of the Tournament.

Well done to the entire U15A team on an excellent tournament.

Cricket

We are proud to recognise Michael Kruiskamp for representing the Junior Proteas/South Africa U19 at the U19 Cricket World Cup in Namibia and Zimbabwe. Michael is awarded Full Colours for Cricket and a Distinction Tie. Congratulations on this exceptional achievement.

Cricket Awards

Signature Bat – Centuries Scored:
• Tariq Eskinazi – 101* (88) for U14B vs Wynberg
• Liyema Mkumbuzi – 128 (164) for U15A vs Durbanville
• Harry Morgan – 104 (90) for 1st XI vs Pearson HS

Mounted Ball – Five-wicket Hauls:
• Mofenyi Ngcobo – 5/18 for U14B vs Wynberg
• Yusuf Patel – 6/22 for 2nd XI vs Pearson HS
• Aadam Van Graan – 6/48 for 2nd XI vs Wynberg
• Oliver Schultz – 6/10 for U14B vs Wynberg
• Reza Levy – 5/16 for Flyers vs Paarl Boys
• Zayaan Saloojee – 6/33 for U15A vs St David’s
• Luke Mabin – 5/6 for U14A vs Haileybury
• Nathan Pilkington – 6/20 for 3rd XI vs Bellville HS
• Jack Szabo – 6/17 for U14B vs Tygerberg HS
• Noah Maree – 5/29 for U15A vs Pearson AND 5/29 vs St Andrew’s (two mounted balls)

FOOTLOOSE: THE MUSICAL 2026

Dancing is not a crime ... to miss Footloose: The Musical would be!

Life in small-town Bomont, is peaceful until Ren McCormack – the city boy with the over-active sneakers – arrives. Breaking every taboo, Ren brings dance back to the heart of a town held back by the memory of a tragedy. He takes on the town. And wins.

Bishops will be staging the global stage phenomenon, FOOTLOOSE: The Musical, from 16 - 20 March, at 19:00, in the Memorial Theatre! Booking opens at Quicket https://www.quicket.co.za/events/362850-footloose-the-musical-bishops/ on 6 March 2026.

Fuelling Ambition through the VUSA Shop

At VUSA Rugby and Learning Academy, our mission is to nurture children of character through the power of sport and education. We celebrate the child who refuses to settle for the bare minimum, choosing instead to act with integrity in every aspect of their life.

To support this growth, we created the VUSA Shop and the VUSA Bucks system as a core part of the psychosocial support we offer. This is not just about buying things; it is a powerful tool for building a sense of purpose and self worth. In a world where so much is out of their control, our learners discover that through their own honest effort, they can earn what they need and desire.

Watching the children on a Friday afternoon as they count their hard earned VUSA Bucks is a powerful reminder of the joy that comes from their own heart. Whether a learner has had their eye on a specific toy for weeks, is saving for a new scrum cap, or is finally trading their earnings for a complex puzzle, they are learning that their positive choices have a direct impact on their lives.

Joining the Journey
To keep this cycle of growth moving, we invite the Bishops community to help us restock. We are seeking good condition, well-loved items that are ready for a second life with a proud new owner.

We are currently looking for:

• Sporting Equipment: Rugby balls, boots, and scrum caps.
• Books and Learning: Inspiring stories, puzzles, and educational resources.
• Quality Toys: Well-maintained items that bring joy and serve as a goal to strive for.

By clearing out your cupboards, you provide the rewards that show these young people that their hard work and character matter. Please drop any contributions at The OD Union, Mitre Building. Thank you for helping us inspire the leaders of tomorrow.