Latest news with #SeatidesCombinedSchool
The Citizen
24-07-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Tongaat teen volleyballer claims silver medal in national debut
Tongaat teenager Shridhaan Lahldas made his national volleyball debut at the Region 5 Games, returning with silver for South Africa. The South African U19 men's volleyball team delivered a spirited performance at the African Union Sports Council (AUSC) Region 5 Games, held from July 4 to 13 in Namibia. South Africa progressed to the final after edging out Malawi in a tense five-set semi-final (3-2), but were ultimately outplayed by a dominant Zimbabwean side, who secured gold with a straight-sets victory (3-0). The AUSC Region 5 Games saw 10 southern African nations compete across various sporting codes, with the volleyball matches held in Windhoek. Lahldas (17), a Grade 11 pupil at Seatides Combined School and player for Anglers Volleyball Club juniors, described the tournament as a dream come true. 'There are no words to describe the feeling of representing my country for the first time,' he said. Despite falling short in the final, Lahldas said the experience was invaluable. 'Playing against different countries meant adapting to new styles and tactics. There were lots of small variables to adjust to.' He praised Zimbabwe's strength and noted South Africa had suffered several injuries ahead of the final. 'Their power hitters came at us with brutal force. They flew through the air and sped around the court, it was intense. We had some injuries but not enough time to recover on the day.' His father, Ryaan Lahldas, a former Proteas volleyball player who represented South Africa for 14 years, said the family was extremely proud of Shridhaan's achievement. 'He was bound to take up the sport, it runs in the family and is one of the main sports in Tongaat.' Stay in the loop with The North Coast Courier on Facebook, X, Instagram & YouTube for the latest news. Mobile users can join our WhatsApp Broadcast Service here, or if you're on desktop, scan the QR code below.
IOL News
16-07-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
Shridhaan Lahldas continues family volleyball legacy at Region 5 Games
Shridhaan Lahldas got his first taste of international competition at the Region 5 Games in Namibia, where the SA U19 team lost in the final. Teenager Shridhaan Lahldas from Tongaat was one of the youngest players in the SA Under-19 volleyball squad that made it to the recent final at the Region 5 Games in Namibia, continuing the family legacy in the sport. The 16-year-old specialist setter is the son of former national team star Ryaan 'Spits' Lahldas, who led SA to many great conquests on the continental stage. Olympic participation is one of the few omissions of his stellar career. Smashing time Shridhaan got his first taste of the continental stage at the Region 5 Games, and it left him wanting more. 'Region 5 this year was my first international experience. The level of volleyball is quite significant compared to volleyball in South Africa. It taught everyone a lot of new things and how competitive the sport could really be,' the Grade 11 pupil at Seatides Combined School told POST on his return. 'In the semi-finals we faced off with Malawi. In the first two sets we were down and then came one of the best comebacks in Region 5 as we ended up beating them 3-2 in a five-set thriller. 'The next day we ended up playing Zimbabwe. Unfortunately, it was a sad loss because most of our main players had injuries due to that long game, so we ended up losing three straight games.' One of the surprises for the teenage star was also the continued recognition of the Lahldas name long after dad Ryaan has stepped away from the court. 'I was shocked and amazed by how many people actually knew my father there. Some way or the other people found that I was Spits's laaitie, which is what they called me there. They started speaking about him. Some of the guys also said to me that I'm developing hands like his slowly, just give me a couple of years and I'll be on the same level as him.' And his father could not be more proud of his son's achievement.
Daily Maverick
29-04-2025
- Climate
- Daily Maverick
KZN emergency guidelines for schools aim to safeguard students against climate threats
With severe flooding and tornadoes hitting KwaZulu-Natal, the provincial education department has introduced new disaster management protocols. As climate-related disasters become more frequent and destructive in KwaZulu-Natal, the provincial education department has issued new emergency guidelines for schools to follow during periods of extreme rainfall, flooding, or storms via a circular. The circular instructs school principals, circuit managers, and departmental officials on how to respond to severe weather events — a necessary move given the persistent rains affecting the province and the vulnerability of schools in low-lying or rural areas. While the department reports no major damage to schools as yet, officials warn that worsening weather could affect learning, safety, and service delivery — including food deliveries as part of the School Nutrition Programme. The guidelines instruct principals to maintain communication with parents, assess daily conditions, and make judgement calls on whether to keep children at home or safely release them once at school. They are also expected to report infrastructure damage immediately, manage catch-up curriculum plans, and ensure learners remain occupied even when learning from home. 'This is about protecting lives,' the circular states. 'We cannot afford to lose any learners, teachers or officials due to flooding or destruction of school infrastructure.' While the department's new guidelines mark an important step toward formalising emergency responses, implementation remains patchy and largely dependent on the discretion of overstretched school leaders. Budget constraints undermine resilience According to the South African Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu), most provincial education departments — including the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education — continue to overlook the most pressing issues in their budget allocations. Critical needs such as infrastructure development, school safety, and adequate staffing remain largely unaddressed. Sadtu spokesperson Nomsa Cembi said that vacant teaching posts, understaffed support services, and ongoing infrastructure problems were steadily undermining the quality of education in the province. In many cases, government funding had been so constrained that private organisations had stepped in to rebuild schools following disasters. During a recent visit to an affected school, education manager Simon Siyabonga Lushozi openly admitted to the department's financial struggles. More than 900 children were left without classes at Seatides Combined School, the hardest-hit institution when a tornado tore through uThongathi (Tongaat) and surrounding areas in June 2024. The school suffered millions of rand in damage, and due to the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education's financial constraints, private donors and sponsors — led by humanitarian organisation Gift of the Givers — stepped in to help rebuild it. Through their collective efforts, Seatides Combined School is slowly being pieced back together following the devastation. 'I think the budget issues were the main factor that led to the delay in implementation, and we couldn't wait for the department,' said Kola Govender, the former principal of the school. 'We appealed to the private sector to come forward, which they did — and to me, that was a big plus. Otherwise, 10 months down the line, we wouldn't have at least a major part of the school ready for reoccupation.' He added that three blocks at the school were still awaiting reconstruction. Of these, work had begun on only one, the science block, which included the science and biology labs. In addition to the structural repairs, there were unresolved water infrastructure issues, including the sewer system and the main water supply line. New guidelines empower principals Govender said the department's new disaster management guidelines were a step in the right direction. 'Tornadoes are virtually unheard of in this region, so we had little to no frame of reference for what warning signs to watch for. While the new departmental circular on disaster management provides some guidance, which is a relief, it's still a challenge. Previously, we had no formal authority or directive to close schools pre-emptively — doing so required layers of consultation and red tape,' he said. 'Now, with this circular in place, principals have more flexibility to act on the side of caution rather than delay and risk serious consequences. So definitely a step in the right direction. It's a positive move by the department.' When asked whether the school would have been prepared had the tornado struck during teaching hours, Govender acknowledged that they probably would not have been. He explained that while the school follows departmental guidelines and conducts emergency drills for various scenarios, including bomb threats and natural disasters, the speed and intensity of the tornado would have left school management unable to guide pupils or implement any meaningful protective measures. Weathering the storm Govender added that while principals were expected to follow departmental guidelines, it was equally important for both parents and the department to understand the broader context in which these decisions were made. He stressed that principals should be encouraged to err on the side of caution when severe weather warnings were issued, and emphasised the need for understanding from all stakeholders if, in hindsight, no disaster occured after a precautionary school closure. 'Yes, there will be loss of time. There will be loss of teaching time, but understand the time that you lose vis-à-vis the lives that you save, and the destruction that may have taken place,' he said. There was no formal directive that strictly outlined a specific catch-up programme, and the responsibility for addressing disruptions to teaching and learning was left to the discretion of the school's leadership. These could include extra periods, using holiday time, or other strategies, depending on how many hours or days were lost. Govender warned that punishing school leaders for acting early could have serious consequences. 'If action is taken against principals for closing schools prematurely, it will create fear and uncertainty. It will discourage others from making timely decisions in future emergencies, even when warnings are clear,' he said. When asked what he wished the education department would urgently address regarding disaster preparedness in schools, Govender highlighted the need for every school to have a contingency plan. 'Given climate change, this kind of disaster could happen anywhere, and schools need to be able to quickly relocate. Governing school bodies must work together with the principal and management during these crisis situations,' said Govender. He stressed the importance of the department being ready to provide support in the form of temporary infrastructure, similar to what was done for Seatides Combined School. 'In as much as we've had our issues with the department not undertaking reconstruction, we have to give them credit for the speed at which they provided support. This disaster affected an entire school of almost 900 learners, but within three weeks the department delivered prefab classrooms, toilets, and fenced off the site for safety,' he said. Govender acknowledged that without this rapid response, the entire 2024 academic year might have been lost. 'Fortunately, when it really mattered, the department did what was needed, we were able to continue with teaching and learning and did not compromise the academic year,' he said. DM
