Komani residents savour thrill of seeing Boks win in France

Amazing spirit and unity among SA fans a highlight

atrick Casey, a local Springboks fan, has shared his “incredible” experience of attending the Rugby World Cup in France and seeing the SA champions once again lifting the trophy.

He and his wife, Lizel, who attended matches in Paris, said words could not describe the experience.

Patrick was grateful to Isuzu for making it possible for him to spend 12 days in France, soaking up the atmosphere of the World Cup.

“It was an experience I will never forget,” he said.

He and his wife attended both the semifinal and final matches, to witness first-hand the intense rivalry between the teams and their fans.

While some fans from other nations seemed to root against SA, he said the South African fans remained undeterred, banding together to support their team.

He said the thrill of seeing the Springboks defeat the All Blacks was an “out-of-this-world experience”.

Between matches, they got to enjoy the company of fellow South Africans at the fan park.

“The number of green jerseys was

Ptruly incredible, and it was clear that South Africans were united in their support of the Springboks, regardless of whether they knew each other or not.

“The atmosphere was electric, with chants of ‘Bokke!’ ringing through the air. It was an amazing experience to be part of such a united group, cheering on our team.”

They also had the pleasure of meeting several Springboks and former players , including Victor Matfield, Damian de Allende, Bismarck du Plessis and former SA cricketer AB de Villiers.

Patrick said Du Plessis shared incredible insight into the Springboks’ preparation for matches, and how the team worked together as a unit.

“It’s clear that they put everything on the line for each other and for South Africa, playing with passion and energy that’s fuelled by the support of the nation.

“The team is truly a rainbow of cultures and backgrounds, coming together to represent the country and the people.”

The Caseys also took in the sights of Paris.

“We had the chance to see some of Paris’ most iconic sights. The hop-on, hop-off bus tour took us to the Arc de Triomphe, the Eiffel Tower, the Seine River, and the Louvre Museum.

“I was amazed to see the Louvre being reconstructed in preparation for the 2024 Olympics, which will be hosted in France.

“At night, we visited the Eiffel Tower, and saw the famous ‘city of lights’ in all its glory.”

Bangakhula Older Persons Association (BOPA) held a cancer awareness day on Monday. They were taught and equipped with how they can self-examine their breasts for any strange lumps and advised to regularly check with medical professionals. The event was held at Sunshine village. The awareness campaign was attended by nurses, social development and Chris Hani District Municipality Special Programmes Unit (SPU). The event organiser and chairperson of BOPA, Dolly Ngqula said: “Our programme was a success though most people could not make it due to work.” She added that they have not heard of someone who is living with cancer in their association and emphasised that they were told that older persons that are over 60 years are the most at risk of having cancer. “That is why we invited the department of health to equip us. Our speaker of the day was Funeka Satyo, a retired nurse at Frontier Hospital. To anyone who is living with cancer or a survivor, know that cancer is not the end of the world because you can beat it and live your life happy,” she said.

GOOD TIMES: Local Springboks fan Mava Landu snapping a moment with Springbok player Damian de Allende at the Rugby World Cup in France.