08/12/2025
THE YEAR THAT SHAPED US - A TRIBUTE FROM 12G - TECH (Segment 2)
by Le-Showlin Le Roux
As the final bell rings for the graduating class of 12G, the echo of its chime seems to carry more than just a signal — it carries a flood of memories that will stay with us long after we step out of the school gates.
We entered this year as a group of individuals, but we leave it as a tight‑knit family, bound together by countless moments of laughter, tears, late‑night study sessions, and the occasional “please settle down” from the teachers who cared enough to push us.
From the very first week we learned that 12G was more than a label; it was a promise. We promised to stand together through thick and thin, to lift each other up when the workload felt impossible, and to celebrate every small victory as if it were a championship win.
The hallway walls witnessed our jokes, our whispered worries, and the occasional group huddle when a test result didn’t go our way. We shared the sadness of the disappointment of a missed opportunity. Each of those experiences stitched us closer, turning strangers into confidants and classmates into lifelong friends.
A special mention must go to Mr Swarts, whose scolding became a familiar soundtrack in our lives. While his voice could be heard echoing down the corridor, warning us about deadlines and behaviour, we soon realised that his tough love was the very thing that kept us on the right track.
He was there through thick and thin, reminding us that discipline is a form of care, and that a little reprimand can be the catalyst for great achievement. Thank you, Mr Swarts, for never letting us settle for anything less than our best.
Our adventures didn’t stop at the classroom doors. The school workshop became our second home, a place where we discovered the thrill of building, creating and, most importantly, laughing together. Whether we were covered in steel shredding from a steelwork project or spending time and often playing football in our free time behind the workshop walls, those moments reminded us that learning can be hands‑on and wildly fun.
We also survived and thrived in cross‑night classes, those marathon sessions that stretched from dusk until the early hours of the morning, where we bonded, shared notes and promised each other that we would make it to graduation.
Technical Mathematics, for many of us, was once a dreaded subject, but our maths teachers turned equations into stories. Their anecdotes about real‑world applications, their patience with our endless “why” questions, and their unwavering belief in our abilities, turned confusion into confidence.
We were especially fortunate to have the best Technical Mathematics teacher, Mrs Khubeka, whose passion for numbers was infectious. Her lessons were never just about solving problems; they were about solving puzzles of life, and she taught us to approach every challenge with curiosity and perseverance.
Equally unforgettable was Ms Mdluli, our Technical Science teacher. Her enthusiasm for experiments, her encouragement to ask “what if” and her dedication to ensuring we understood every concept, made the complexities of science feel accessible and exciting.
She treated us as her own children. She always used to tell us we must work hard so that we could buy her a BMW 123i.
As we prepare to turn the page on this chapter, we carry with us the lessons learned in every classroom, the friendships forged in every corridor and the memories created in places we never imagined we would cherish.
We have encouraged each other to keep going, to finish strong, and to step into the next chapter with confidence, knowing that the support of 12G will always be just a phone call away.
To the teachers who challenged us, the friends who lifted us, and the moments that shaped us, thank you. Here’s to the class that proved we’ll always have each other’s backs, no matter where life takes us.
The 12G Class of 2025 (Reiger Park Secondary – Tech)
(Third and final segment to follow soon...)
(Pictures supplied: 12G Reiger Park Secondary class of 2025)
