THEME OF THE WEEK: CITIZENSHIP
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK:
“Active citizenship begins with an envisioning of what is possible, and a commitment to the values and principles that make a democracy worth fighting for.” – Barack Obama, President USA 2009-2017
MESSAGE
The theme for this week is citizenship. This is not a word we often use, so what does it mean?
Citizenship means being a member of a country and having certain rights and responsibilities. For example, as a citizen of South Africa, you have the right to vote when you are 18, you have a right to education and a right to be protected by the law. However, you also have responsibilities like obeying the law, respecting others, and contributing to your community.
Citizenship is about being part of a nation and working together to make it better for everyone. Citizenship is more than just living in South Africa; it’s about belonging to a community and being a responsible and active member of that community.
As an example, let’s look back to the 2023 Rugby World Cup. Citizenship is like being part of a team. Just as a rugby team works together to win, we must all work together as citizens to make our country a better place.
I mentioned earlier that citizenship involves both rights and responsibilities. Just like rugby players have the right to compete fairly in a match, you too have rights as citizens of South Africa. In rugby, everyone plays by the same rules, and similarly, our rights ensure that we are treated equally and fairly in society.
So, what about the responsibilities that go with citizenship?
In rugby, every player has a role, whether it’s scoring tries or defending the try line. As citizens, we too all have a role to play:
- We are required to obey the laws, just as players must follow the rules of the game
- We are required to respect others whether you agree with their viewpoints or not
- Just as a sportsman gives his all for his team, we are also expected to contribute to our community. This may involve helping others, being responsible and accountable, or behaving with honesty and integrity
Some of you will have watched “Chasing the Sun”. If we consider our 2023 rugby world cup team, with our very own Jesse Kriel, their success as World Cup Champions, is not due to one or two players, it is about every player doing his very best and playing his part.
All of us standing now in this assembly are also citizens of Maritzburg College, and we too have rights and responsibilities within our school. You have a right to be taught, to be treated fairly and to be supported by your teachers.
However, you also have the responsibility:
- to respect and adhere to our school’s code of conduct
- to treat others with tolerance and respect
- and to do your best in the classroom and in your co-curricular activities
By being equally aware of your responsibilities as your rights, and acting as responsible citizens, we can create a school or a country that is fair and successful—just like a team that works together to win.
I challenge you all to take the spirit of the Rugby World Cup which united our country, and to apply it to your daily lives, making our school, community, and country a place that we are proud of.
PIRATES OF PENZANCE
Our musical production, Pirates of Penzance, took place last week. This outstanding production has set a new standard for excellence, showcasing dedication, passion, and hard work. The cast’s performances were excellent, with captivating music, singing and dancing.
Special mention must be made of Lisu Ndaba, Ilo Zwane, Asemahle Madlala, Bandile Hadebe and Levi Baptista.
The production team excelled, and our sincere thanks go to the Producer Mrs Thaver, and Director, Mr Orton, as well as Mrs Sanders, Mr Heyns, Mr Solomon, Mr Harty, Mr Linde, Mr Thaver and Mrs Osborne
CERTIFICATES OF RECOGNITION
Congratulations to two of our boys who were unbeaten at the Top Schools Squash tournament this weekend.
- J Maistry [Calder]
- BLA Mahaye [Pape]
Congratulations to the u17 Sevens team who won the Plate final at the Glenwood Sevens Tournament this past weekend.
I wish you all a good week ahead.
Mrs J Finnie
Deputy Headmaster: Academics