SPAR SCHOOL STARS 2024

Curro Salt Rock Grade 7 pupil Yahvi Birbal is a top academic performer, a talented artist and dedicated member of the school’s drama club. This all-rounder also excels on the netball court. She was recently selected for the iLembe district U13 team. Her athletic capabilities also shine through on the school’s touch rugby, soccer and hockey teams. She is regarded as a huge inspiration to her peers.

Grade 4 Darnall Primary chess player Mawande Mpanza was pushing chess pieces around and learning their names since the age of three. He played in his first tournament at the Luthuli Museum in 2021, winning the Mama Nokukhanya Commemoration Tournament U7 category, the youngest player to do so. He repeated the feat in 2022 and was selected to represent the iLembe district at the SA Junior Chess Championships. Last year he qualified for the U8 KZN team and played in the SA Junior Chess Closed Championships in Pretoria, where he qualified to represent Team SA at the Commonwealth junior championships. Financial constraints prevented him from attending.

Ashmeer Chetty, a Grade 4 pupil at Reddam House, raised his school’s flag high at the Zimbali Junior Golf Championship held at the end of March.
The young golfer’s skills came to the fore and he emerged as the overall winner in the boys under 6-11 category.

Crawford International North Coast sprinter Noa Reinstein is blitzing her way up the track rankings. Representing KZN at the SA High School Track and Field championships in Paarl at the beginning of the month, the 16-year-old posted a blistering personal best time of 57.62sec in the 400m heats and claimed a bronze medal in the final. Trained by Ballito’s former national junior 400m champion Amy Naude, Noa made it into the KZN relay team to compete at the ASA national championships last weekend in Pietermaritzburg. Sadly, due to an injury on the day of a fellow athlete, the relay team were unable to compete.

Curro Salt Rock Grade 10 pupil Tamika Wolfe is a passionate young golfer. She has made her mark participating in prestigious tournaments recently, the KZNLGA Junior Championships, Bronze Championships and Bronze Challenge Shield. Her passion and dedication to the sport have also earned her a spot in the KZNLGA Birdie Programme, which supports young girls to qualify for regional, provincial, and national tournaments. The only girl in her school’s golf team, the young talent continues to work hard to reach her full potential.

Mangcengeza Secondary School’s Grade 11 pupil Phumelele Dube not only excels in her studies, but also assists her fellow pupils who struggle with subjects such as accounting and dramatic arts. Her love for drama has seen her performing exceptionally well in school plays. Just recently, she was cast in a lead role of uNandi in a school play called Ukufa kukashaka. Her teachers describe her as an exceptional student who excels at storytelling.

Mthobisi Zondo, a Grade 11 pupil at Zephania Secondary School, is a rising soccer star. A livewire midfielder, he has helped his school’s team win many games and was selected for the iLembe soccer team for the Salga Games. Zondo started playing soccer when he was in primary school and has continued to hone his skills. He believes soccer teaches important values such as discipline, commitment and respect. His favourite player is former Kaizer Chiefs star Njabulo Blom who now plays at international level.