TINA THIART

Well-known women’s rights activist and non-profit fundraising guru, Tina Thiart, is an April Fool’s baby, born on 1 April 1956 – but her achievements are nothing to laugh at. She has worked for more than 20 years as a catalyst for social change and gender equality, aiming to build better communities in South Africa.

A self-confessed multi-tasker and network queen, Thiart runs a consultancy helping women’s funds, community groups and NGOs develop innovative fundraising strategies and sustainable development plans with the end goal of building strong organisations to bring about effective change.

As a child, growing up “on the wrong side of the street”, with three sisters and a brother, in Uitenhage in the Eastern Cape, Thiart was painfully aware that equality was more a privilege than a right, with gender inequality equally entrenched in social fabric of what she describes as a “factory town”. Discrimination of every kind between classes, colour and culture was rife – and it irked her.

She was strongly influenced by her grandmother. “When she wanted a job done, she’d only ask once and then pick up the hammer and do it herself. So also always generated her own money,” says Thiart. So in an era when women stayed at home or had limited career options Thiart, always an adventurer at heart, was the first in her family to go to University, obtaining a BA in education at the Nelson Mandela University.

Ultimately Thiart found the world of teaching, where the men’s opinions held more sway and earned them more income despite having the same qualifications, intolerable. But, in speaking out against this inequality she found her obvious talent – and passion – in marketing and advocacy.

She moved to KwaZulu-Natal when her SANDF navy captain husband was transferred to Durban and took on the role of Director of KZN Athletics. Thiart launched the Tastic Rice Cross Country Initiative travelling around the province to identify talented young athletes and advocate for their inclusion in athletics events – effectively exposing these young athletes and their communities to many new experiences and opportunities.

When her husband, Thienus, was transferred to Simons Town Thiart joined the Women’s Hope Education and Training (WHEAT) Trust filing various marketing and fundraising roles, and then went on to become executive director of the International Network of Women’s Funds. She still consults for the WHEAT Trust (www.wheattrust.co.za), which invests in education, training and capacity building to develop leaders and to empower women to uplift themselves and their communities.

A hard worker and an avid golfer, Thiart is also the secretary of the World Wide Initiative for Grantmakers Support, and the chairperson of Woman’sNet and board member of the African Women’s Development Fund (South Africa). She works with the Southern African Community Grantmakers Leadership Forum and is the liaison officer of Grant.net, a network for corporate social investment managers and grant makers.

This year, she helped raise R1.2-million as part of WHEAT’s 1000 Women United Against Domestic Violence and Abuse Campaign in Cape Town. Thiart also launched the 1,000 Women campaign in Johannesburg, and will be launching the campaign in Durban on 20^th November just prior to the international 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence Campaign –  a United Nations initiative held annually between November 25, the international day of no violence against women) and 10 December (international human rights day).

“Women and girls are not safe in their own homes. They can’t walk the streets at night and have little access to resources,” says Thiart who believes campaigns like 1000 Women and 16 Days of Activism increases people’s awareness and encourages people to speak out against gender-based violence in a society where people have historically condoned the behaviour by turning a blind eye.

The WHEAT Trust provides resources to women to stand up against violence and Thiart and her colleagues will be attending various events in the communities during the 16-day awareness campaign.

Thiart plans to grow the 1 000 Women campaign – she wans to increase WHEAT’s Facebook supporters to 10 000 supporters and have 5 000 women attend the 1000 women events in 2015. She also wants to increase the number of women’s organisations supported by the WHEAT Women’s Fund from 1 200 to 2000.

Having had family and friends affected by cancer, Thiart also plans to mobilise resources to help build the Cancer Buddies initiative, which provides support to cancer survivors and people living with cancer.

However, our tireless campaigner’s dream is start a fundraising academy to train and support fundraisers in the NGO sector who, at this stage, have very little support and no real accredited training. She has most of the details ironed out and just needs “a University or further education training centre to embrace this idea and provide us with the SETA accreditation to make this come true,” says Thiart.

BASETSANA KUMALO

Born in Soweto on 29 March 1974, Basetsana Makgalemele (now Kumalo) has gone from humble beginnings to beauty pageant winner, and well-known television personality, to respected South African businesswoman and philanthropist.

Her life story is one of rags to riches – and sounds like a fairy tale come true in modern-day South Africa. But Bassie (as she is generally known) has applied a lot of planning, hard work and determination to achieve all she has.

The former Miss South Africa began her schooling in at Orlando West’s Thabisang Primary School, but transferred to Lenasia to complete her studies before following in her mother’s footsteps and studying to become a teacher at the University of Venda.

She never got to use her teaching degree, however. Her future was shaped at the age of 16 when the teen won the Miss Soweto beauty pageant and went on to win the Miss Black South Africa title in the same year.

She followed this up by taking the Miss South Africa title in 1994 and the first princess sash in the Miss World pageant – wins and international exposure that served as a launching pad for Kumalo’s very successful career.

Instead of relaxing and simply enjoying her 12-month reign as Miss South Africa, Kumalo worked at making the most of the opportunity that was presented to her. Apart from having to overcome traditional perceptions of beauty pageant winners, Kumalo made valuable contacts and quite instinctively paved the way for developing the much-loved Bassie brand.

While still Miss South Africa Kumalo launched her television career. After a successful promotion recording Kumalo was offered a slot as a presenter. Within months, at the age of 20, she co-founded an all female production company Tswelopele Productions with Patience Stevens and negotiated the first external contract to be awarded by the SABC for Top Billing.

The current president of the Businesswoman’s Association of South Africa financed her first business venture by investing some of her prize money, and borrowing from her parents.

Taking the courage and chutzpah she’d learnt from her participation in pageants into the business world, Kumlao went on to establish her own make-up, clothing and sunglasses range, became a director of a successful travel company, started a publishing company producing Top Billing magazine, and diversified her business portfolio into mining and property… and carved a formidable name for herself in the business world.

The former head girl and top science student attributes her grounding in business knowledge to her parents. Her father, Philip, was a bus driver and her mother, Beatrice, was a teacher, but her enterprising parents also ran a small construction company and curtain making business to supplement their income.

Kumalo, her two sisters and brother were also expected to help earn money – which included selling sweets to friends at school and selling sandwiches an ice cream at soccer matches on the weekend.

Earning the title Revlon face of sub-Saharan Africa and serving as Revlon’s ambassador for five years was another stepping stone in Kumalo’s career giving her exposure locally and internationally – but it is what she has done with these opportunities that sets her apart.

Philanthropy features strongly in Kumalo’s life. She’s spent much time helping community upliftment projects from her time as Miss South Africa and beyond. She’s been involved in Childline, Reach for a Dream has been a Life Champion for Life College alongside people such as Tim Modise and Raymond Ackerman, and appointed to the board of HIV/AIDS prevention organisation LoveLife.

With her Soweto-born husband, Romeo – former general manager at SABC1 and currently Vodacom’s executive commercial director – Kumalo has also formed the Romeo & Basetsana Kumalo Family Foundation to assist the development of children, especially those orphaned by AIDS or related diseases.

Together they won the 2009 Inyathelo Philanthropy Merit Award from the South African Institute for Advancement, which recognised the extraordinary work they’ve done to assist individuals and communities in South Africa.

In 2008 Kumalo’s Bassie brand was listed as one of the top personal brands in the Sunday Times Top Brands Survey, a reflection of the success she’s made of melding glamour and sophistication with being a leading contemporary CEO, businesswoman and role model.

Kumalo attributes some of her success to being street smart, taking risks, not taking no for an answer and surrounding herself with the best brains in the business.

As a devoted mother to her only son, Nkosinathi, Kumalo tries to balance a successful and fulfilling career with family responsibilities. Despite their high profile the Kumalo’s keep their lives pretty simple and prioritise what is important – like quality family time on the weekends.

HERMAN MASHABA

Despite what can only be described as disadvantaged start, determination and hard work helped Herman Mashaba accomplish more than simply overcome adversity and hardship. He worked through two poorly paid clerical-type jobs, went on to find his calling in sales, and then started a successful hair care business – becoming one of South Africa’s most-admired and successful black entrepreneurs in the process.

While this exceptional journey of accomplishment sounds easy in summary, it was beset with far more trials and setbacks than this implies – and required a clear vision and determination to succeed that few possess.

Born on 26 August 1959, in the remote village of Ramotse, near Hammanskraal in northern Gauteng, Mashaba was largely brought by his sisters while his mother worked long hours as a domestic worker.

His near-poverty-to-riches story begins in earnest in 1980 at the University of the North (now the University of Limpopo) near Pietersburg. A centre of activism against Apartheid, political unrest put the second-year Bachelor of Administration student’s studies on hold – but when classes resumed, Mashaba decided not to return.

He worked briefly at Spar in Pretoria from late 1980, and then for a furniture manufacturer, before embarking on a sales career selling everything from dining crockery to fire detection systems and insurance. It was during his time as a sales rep for SuperKurl that the idea to start his own hair care manufacturing business was born.

With the help of former SuperKurl colleagues turned business partners, his wife, Connie – and a R30 000 loan – Black Like Me was launched on Valentines’ Day in 1985. Starting out in a 200 square metre factory in Ga-Rankuwa in the former homeland of Bophuthatswana, their new perm lotion was an instant success.

Black Like Me’s business loan was paid off within seven months, and by 1990 their brand and product range was so successful they had built their own premises in the black township of Mabopane in northern Gauteng.

But disaster struck in November 1993. Fire gutted the Mabopane factory and insurance did not pay out for the building contents, leaving Mashaba to personally finance his “rise from the ashes” and set up his third factory, this time in Midrand.

In July 1997, the proud father of two daughters – Khensani and Rhulani – sold a 75% in Black Like Me to Colgate Palmolive, but bought the business back in 1999. Mashaba, who has a strong work ethic and plans never to retire, was glad to back and the helm.

Black Like Me launched their products in the UK in 2001 and in 2002 Mashaba formed a BEE company, Leswikeng Minerals & Energy. Early in 2004 he resigned as CEO of Black Like Me and sold a 49.9% interest in the company to Amka Products in 2005.

The largely media-shy Mashaba could boast an impressive list of awards and directorships if he was so inclined. He is currently executive chairperson of Lephatsi Investments, a company he founded a few years ago, operating in the mining, construction and the logistics sectors. He is also CEO of Leswikeng Minerals & Energy, deputy chair of Growthpoint Properties and chairperson of Stocks Building Africa.

Topping his numerous business, marketing and entrepreneurial awards is a recently awarded honorary doctorate in business administration from the Central University of Technology.

Ever mindful of his humble beginnings, Mashaba has also paid the role of the philanthropist. His company took corporate social responsibility seriously, offering bursaries to needy students and paying for funerals of political activists.

He joined the youth-development focused Field Brand Foundation as a patron 15 years ago and is currently its chairman. The foundation uses music to create life-changing opportunities for children from underprivileged backgrounds, including international exchange programs.

A jazz and classical pianist himself, in his spare time, Mashaba also helped to establish (and sponsors) Black Like Us, a joint venture with the Watercolour Society of South Africa and the Manor Gallery in Fourways. The initiative fosters business and entrepreneurial skills in visual artists from the townships. The non-profit organisation has helped numerous artists to improve their careers, including internationally recognised Abe Mathabe and Sam Maduna.

In 2012, Mashaba published his autobiography Black Like You, which much like everything else Mashaba has touched, has turned into a best seller. Co-written by Isabella Morris, it is a compelling story of survival, love and success, ending in a triumph over adversity. It leaves one open to the possibility that they too could be successful – regardless of their personal situation.

Mashaba hopes it might motivate one or two entrepreneurs in the making. If nothing else, it will inspire you.

MARK BOUCHER

After a sport-immersed youth and an illustrious cricketing career, retired South African cricketer and star wicketkeeper, Mark Boucher, has come out to bat for our endangered rhino. Despite a career limiting eye injury on the field in July Boucher has taken on the role of rhino ambassador and hopes to raise more than R1-million to help put a stop to the poaching of our iconic rhino.

Born into a sports-mad family on the 3 December 1976, Mark Verdon Boucher grew up in East London in the Eastern Cape, and completed his schooling at the boys-only Selbourne College. Sports practice – and lots of it – featured prominently in his early life; Boucher represented Border for schools cricket, squash, swimming, tennis, cross-county running and rugby.

The ambitious youngster went on to play for the South African Schools cricket and squash teams and continued playing competitive squash up to national under-21 level. After playing cricket for South African Schools in 1994, Boucher was selected for the South Africa Under-19 side for tours against England in 1995. That’s when he decided that cricket was going to be his life.

Boucher, who had completed the first year of a sports management degree at the University of Port Elizabeth before being selected for the National Cricket Academy, went on to represent Border, Africa 11s, ICC world 11s, the Royal Challengers Bangalore and Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League, as well as South Africa.

He quickly earned the nickname Guinness for the number of records he broke – becoming the youngest or fastest to many cricketing records and milestones.

As a Protea’s player, he was highly regarded as one of South Africa’s greatest wicketkeepers and holds the record for the most dismissals in test cricket. Feisty and driven to succeed, Boucher took the record from Australian wicketkeeper, Ian Healy, in 2007, lost it to Adam Gilchrist, another Aussies player, and then regained the title in February 2008.

Boucher is also second, behind Gilchrist, on the all-time list for One Day International wickets. Also a well-regarded batsman he made his maiden One Day International century in 2006, hitting an unbeaten 147 off 68 balls. With his hundred coming of 44 balls this was also the second fastest One Day International century ever scored.

He has played in 294 One Day Internationals and is one of eleven South Africa players to have played more than one hundred consecutive One Day Internationals for his country. IN 2007 Boucher grabbed the South Africa record for the most runs off an over, but this has since been beaten by Herschelle Gibbs’ 36 runs off an over – the highest score possible without no-balls or wides.

Boucher was voted South African player of the year in 1998, 2000 and 2006 and Wisden Cricketer of the year in 2009, but his career was cut shot a few months before he had planned to retire.

On 9 July last year Boucher was injured when a wicket bail stuck his left eye during a game in Somerset, part of South Africa’s test tour against England. Boucher underwent eye surgery and resigned from international cricket the following day. His doctors are hopeful of a 50% restoration of vision following further surgery.

Boucher has bounced back from his career and lifestyle changing injury, and in conjunction with South African Breweries (SAB), has started a campaign to help protect South Africa’s critically endangered rhino.

As passionate about conservation as he is about cricket, Boucher plans to do his bit to fight on-going rhino poaching as SAB’s Castle Larger Rhino Ambassador.

Together they have formed the SAB-Boucher Conservation non-profit company and hope to raise R1-million in the first year of their Rhino in Safe Hands campaign. With SAB donating R300 000 towards the set-up costs all the money raised by the campaign will be put towards saving rhino.

Our endangered rhino population is being decimated at a rate of almost two per day, and the long-term aim of the project is to raise enough money to register all of South Africa’s 18 000 remaining rhino on the national rhino database. This DNA database of rhinos will enable recovered rhino horns to be traced and matched to crime scenes. The database has already been used to successfully prosecute a number of rhino poachers and the registration of more rhino will help in both investigations and prosecutions.

Boucher and SAB have been able to attract some prestigious patrons to their cause, including Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Dr Ali Bacher, and Dr Ian Player and their long-term goal is to extend the reach of the non-profit organisation and support other species that might benefit in a similar way from national DNA registration.

JEAN DE VILLIERS

Despite a career plagued by injuries at the most inopportune moments, popular and experienced Currie Cup, Super Rugby and international rugby centre, Jean de Villiers, returned to South Africa from a year playing for Munster in Ireland and not only secured a place on the South African team, but secured the captaincy of our team – leading them to victory against England in June this year.

Born in Paarl, in the Western Cape on 24th February in 1981, De Villiers completed his schooling at Paarl Gimnasium High School, an Afrikaans school with a reputation for producing a number of top sportsmen including rugby players such as Schalk Burger and Marius Joubert.

De Villiers commenced his university studies at Stellenbosch University and played for the Under 20s and the Maties First Team before he decided to ditch studying in favour of concentrating on rugby.

The former wing’s career took off in 2002 when De Villiers played a major role in the success of the South African Sevens when they secured second place in the 2001-2002 World Sevens Series and third spot in the 2002 Common Wealth Games.

In 2002 he scored four tries for the Junior Springboks in the U21 Rugby World Cup. De Villiers then went on to debut at senior level, wearing the green and gold jersey for the first time in November 2002 in the test against France in Marseilles at the age of 21 – but he only got to play for five minutes before a serious knee injury left him out of the game.

By 2004 De Villiers had recovered his fitness and winning form and scored three tries, helping the Boks to an unexpected victory in the Tri-Nations Series. In 2005 de Villiers was a nominee for SA Rugby Player of the Year.

Locally he played for Western Province in the Currie Cup. He debuted for the Stormers in 2005 against the Sharks in Super Rugby and served as the Stormers captain in 2008 and 2009.
In 2006 he went on to captain the Springbok team in the World 15 at Ellis Park in June 2006. A regular for the SA squad in 2007, a torn bicep in the first game of the 2007 saw him watch South Africa’s World Cup victory from the sidelines.

His strong form continued in 2008, with De Villiers playing in all 13 Springbok Test matches – including an historic win over New Zealand – and the three matches on the English tour. His performance on and off the field won him the SA Rugby Player of the year as well as the Players’ Player of the Year award in 2008.

De Villiers played an important role in South Africa winning the Tri-Nations again in 2009 before he left to play for Munster in Ireland on a one-year contract. He opted not to renew his contract with Munster and returned to South Africa in 2010.

He joined the South African squad in 2010 and signed up for Western Province for the 2010 Currie Cup, but missed a number of these matches due to playing for the international squad.

De Villiers also tied the knot in 2010, marrying Marlie in August with a wedding ceremony at Toring Kerk in Paarl, with their reception at the nearby Kronenburg Estate

He also signed up for the Stormers to play in the inaugural Super 15 competition in 2011.
Considered one of South Africa’s most talented and experienced rugby players, De Villiers has played a total of 77 rugby test matches and scored 73 tries for Western Province and 20 for South Africa. He currently holds the record as the most-capped South Africa centre (62).

In December 2011, De Villiers received an early Christmas present, with the birth of his first child, a daughter named Layli Cardea de Villiers.

Springbok coach, Heyneke Meyer, selected De Villiers to captain the Super Rugby team for the 2012 mid-year test series in June this year against England – which De Villiers considers the highlight of his career. The squad won the first two games 22-17 and 36-27 with the third ending in a 14-14 draw.
Meyer said: “Jean has really impressed me with the way he’s led a young Stormers team, and as the Springboks are a team in transition, I cannot think of a better man equipped to mentor the youngsters in our squad,” on selecting De Villiers for the position.

De Villiers captaincy was a trial for the three-test march against England with the decision up for review after that – but De Villiers seems to have passed the initial test and has continued to lead South Africa’s relatively young and inexperienced team since then.

JO-ANN STRAUSS

Former millennium Miss South Africa, Jo-Ann Strauss, seems to have one of those enchanted fairy tale careers which has seen her catapult from beauty queen to become a successful model and stylish media personality, sought after master of ceremonies and an astute business woman who continues to capture the attention of her many fans.

Born in Cape Town in 3 February 1981, Strauss grew up in Blackheath with her parents, Ingrid and Johan Strauss and younger brother Heinrich. She attended Uitsig Primary School and then caught the train to Hottentots-Holland High School in Somerset West for her senior school years to include Xhosa amongst her subjects. She was head girl, played some school soccer, but mostly concentrated on her studies.

After getting a 93% average in her matric finals, Strauss, who had dreams of becoming a hotshot obstetrician or gynaecologist, was accepted to study medicine at the University of Stellenbosch – but she decided to keep her options open and opted for a commerce degree at Maties.

Her University friends talked the elegant and adventurous Strauss into entering Miss Stellenbosch University, then they dared her to enter Miss Teen SA where one of the judges suggested she enter the Miss South Africa competition – which she won in 2000, her second year at University at the age of 19.

As our millennium Miss South Africa, Strauss represented SA at the Miss Universe pageant in Puerto Rico, placing sixth, and in the Miss World pageant at Sun City in 2001. She also launched a successful media career, auditioning for a position as a presenter on the Afrikaans magazine programme, Pasella on SABC2, in 2000.

She completed her commerce bachelor’s degree, with a focus on law, at Stellenbosch University, and presented for Pasella until 2004 when she secured a position as an anchor for the English lifestyle magazine show, Top Billing. As one of four presenters for Top Billing, she filled four passports travelling the world widely for Top Billing and travel series Top Travel over a six-year period, and interviewed a range of local and international celebrities.

With growing recognition as one of South Africa’s most stylish presenters, our glamorous beauty queen also regularly graced the covers of a number of South African magazines including Mooi, Rooirose, Makeover, My Health, Kuier, Sarie, Women’s Health, My Week, Juice, Destiny, Finesse, De Kat and Top Billing magazine.

A respected media personality, fluent in English, Afrikaans, Xhosa and German, Strauss is a sought after MC and speaker and has entertained audiences in South Africa and around the world. She also presented the opening of the 2010 Soccer World Cup in South Africa for German television network ZDF and has charmed guests as far afield as the BMW World Golf Final in Phuket to awards dinners Sardinia and Monaco.

In 2009 she was chosen as the face of Lux – a career highlight for Strauss because Lux has always used top celebrities and beauty stars such as Marilyn Munroe, Sophia Loren, Rachel Weisz, Sarah Jessica Parker and Catherine Zeta-Jones. She also launched her acting career with a short role, appearing as pushing journalist in a German movie called The Secret of the Whales. The plot involves saving whales whose sonar is disrupted by technology used by companies drilling offshore for oil.

Following several years of dating her German doctor boyfriend, Michael Held, who’s athletic background is reputed to have improved Strauss’ workouts, the two wed earlier this year at a small and very private function, with 31 guests and no media, at Camps Bay Retreat.

Apart from running her own communications company, Strauss sits on a number of boards including the Western Cape Board of Ubuntu-Botho, a division of Sanlam. But her main interest is in corporate social investment.

In 2008 Strauss started the Princess Project, providing deserving young ladies the chance to go to their matric dance or proms in designer gowns previously owned by South African celebrities. She’s the chairperson of the Partnership Foundation Trust which has provided life and career skills training to more than 1,200 disadvantaged students. She’s also a shareholder and director in a venture capital company Partnership Investments, a women-owned black economic empowerment company that aims to contribute to the transformation process in South Africa and develop leadership talents in underprivileged children.

Towards the end of 2011 Strauss initiated the first online Presenter Search 2012 competition to put the presentation skills of young would-be presenters to the test. The top four candidates were taken on a life-changing trip to Zambia and given the chance to hone their skills with training and mentoring from Strauss and Bonang Matheba. Although some prizes were donated most of the competition cost were as paid for by Strauss to help talented South African’s, like winner Buhle Moletsane, break into the media industry.

HEYNEKE MEYER

In January this year, popular former Blue Bulls trainer, Heyneke Meyer, was appointed coach for the South African national rugby team on a four-year term, replacing Peter de Villiers – however, despite a successful career, Meyer’s path to coaching the Boks has been anything but smooth.

As the only coach whose achievements included winning the Super 14, Currie Cup and Vodacom Cup competitions he was a strong contender to succeed Jake White at the helm of Springbok rugby in 2008, but De Villiers got the job. Meyer quit rugby taking on a senior role in a sports supplement company before being enticed back to coach the UK’s Leicester Tigers in the Guinness Premiership.

Now finally charged with leading the Boks to success, Meyer, who by his own admission is not a “quick-fix coach”, faces the tough challenge of taking over a team in the rebuilding phase and developing them into a winning team.

Born in Nelspruit on October 6, 1967, Meyer completed his schooling at Nelspruit’s Bergvlam Hoerskool before studying sports psychology at the University of Pretoria.

He graduated from Tukkies with a Bachelor of Arts with majors in psychology, human movement science and geography and went on to complete an honours degree in geography and an HED. Meyer was both a player and a coach during his time at Tukkies, as well as a part-time sports administrator and the member of his house committee responsible for sport.

Between 1988 and 1996 he coached a variety of teams from high school first teams, Under 21 sides to Carlton League first teams. His notable achievement during this time was that all the teams under his care reached the semi-finals in every season.

Meyer’s professional career stepped up a gear in 1997 when he was appointed assistant coach for the George-based Eagles, responsible for coaching and developing the forwards. In 1998 Meyer was promoted head coach of the South West District team and the Eagles finished the Currie Cup in seventh position – their best finish on record. The following year the Eagles made it into the Currie Cup semi-finals under Meyer’s watchful coaching.

He was appointed assistant coach of the Springboks during the 1999 World Cup, before heading for the hallowed ground of Loftus Versveld as head coach for the Northern Bulls in the Super 12s (as it was known then) in 2000 and as coach for the Blue Bulls in 2002. He overcame personal stresses (including the hospitalisation of both his father and wife on the same day in 2002) and coached the Blue Bulls from 2002 to 2007, leading them to the finals in all six Currie Cups as well has winning four Currie Cup titles. In 2007 the Blue Bulls, under Meyer’s leadership, became the first South African team to win the Super 14 competition – as well as the first team to win three away games on an Australasian tour.

Meyer was nominated as coach of the year by SA Rugby magazine in 2005, inducted into the University of Pretoria Sports Hall of Fame in 2006 and  was a Tukkies Laureate winner in 2007. His stellar performance earned him a reputation as South Africa’s most successful coach, and Meyer was a popular choice to take over from Jake White as national rugby coach in 2008 – but that was not to be.

The father of three sons, feeling disillusioned, resigned from rugby that year but was enticed back to coaching by an offer to take up a position of head coach for the UK-based Leicester Tigers. He filled the role for eight months before retuning to South Africa for personal reasons and then taking up an executive oversight role with the Blue Bulls as well as taking on an advisory role for the Tuks Varsity Cup.

Four years after missing out on the coveted top job, Meyer, known as a tough coach who demands the best of his players, was the top contender for national coach again this year.

With the retirement of key players and a disappointing quarter-final in the 2011 Rugby World Cup under De Villiers, Meyer has inherited a team in the rebuilding stage – something Meyer has excelled at with the Blue Bulls in the past – and the unenviable task of balancing rebuilding a national team with the expectation of producing wins from the outset.

His decision to use younger players in recent matches against England has already drawn some harsh criticism, despite winning the first game. But it’s time to throw our support behind one of South Africa’s most successful coaches to date, and give him time to build our fine rugby players into a strong winning team and do the job the Rugby Union has hired him to do.