The National All Girls’ Festival took place over the long weekend, from Sunday, 27 April to Wednesday, 30 April, and was hosted by Wynberg Girls’ High School. Rustenburg was proudly represented at this year’s festival, with eight teams competing alongside some of the best schools in the country. The teams were Cross Country (8 learners), Debating (4 learners), Hockey (15 learners), MasterChef (2 learners), Netball (10 learners), Squash (4 learners), Tennis (5 learners) and Vocal Ensemble (16 learners). Each team was accompanied by a dedicated member of staff. In total, nine staff members, including those providing additional learner support, formed part of the experience.
The festival offered more than just competitive opportunities. While the teams experienced both victories and challenges, it was the spirit of camaraderie, shared joy, and unity that truly defined their experience. It was a celebration of talent, resilience, and school pride.
Cross Country
Teacher-in-charge: Ms Jane Behne
Day 1 racing involved a 2 x 2 km course at Wynberg Boys’ High School. The course had varied terrain and was quite hilly, but was enjoyed by all. Sienna Malan was our top-placed junior runner (20th), and Lily Irish was our top-placed senior runner (30th).
Day 2 racing involved another 2 x 2 km race on a very flat course at Youngsfield in Wynberg. This was a team race – all four team members, both junior and senior, had to cross the line. Our best-placed runners were Sienna Malan (Jnr), who ran the race barefoot and placed 16th and Lily Irish (Snr), who placed 29th.
In the afternoons of days 1 and 2, the girls were hosted by the Sports Science Institute of South Africa, where they underwent high-performance testing and listened to talks by dietitians and biomechanics experts. On Day 3, we were bussed up to Sunset Beach for an early morning, relaxed beach run to close off an incredible All Girls’ Festival.
Tennis
Teacher-in-charge: Mr James Hendricks
Maggie Krieg, Emma Hylton, Jenna Edge, Rylie Hodgskiss and Evelyn Lyndsay represented the RGHS 1st tennis team at this year’s All Girls’ Festival. It was a fantastic experience and a great opportunity for the PSGU winners to test themselves against new and challenging opposition.
Fifteen teams participated in the tournament and were divided into four pools, with three pools of four teams and one pool of three teams. Our team was in a pool with Oranje GHS (Bloemfontein), Potchefstroom GHS and Pretoria GHS. Day one involved playing against all our pool members.
We started with convincing wins over Pretoria and Potchefstroom, but then came up against the powerful Oranje team, who had one of the top national players in the team, and while the girls played really well, they lost the tie. Special note needs to be made of Rylie Hodgkiss, who played some excellent tennis against her Oranje opponent and was unlucky to lose in the tie-break game. We finished the day second in our pool, meaning we would play against the top team in another pool.
That team was Afrikaans Hoër Meisieskool (Pretoria – Affies). The winner of this match would compete in the playoff from first to fourth. After a thrilling, edge-of-your-seat series of matches, the tie would end three matches each. Unfortunately, we would lose the tie as we lost our first doubles pair match, which carried more weight than the other matches. Jenna and Emma need to be congratulated for showing great resilience and, in some cases, coming from losing positions to win all their matches against Affies.
Losing against Affies meant that RGHS were in the playoffs for fifth to eighth. Our next opponent was the strong Paarl Girls’ High School. The earlier matches against Affies had taken their toll on the team, and we lost to the highly motivated La Rochelle team.
On the last day of AGF, we were in the seventh and eighth playoff tie against Collegiate Girls (Port Elizabeth). The team shook off their disappointment of the previous day’s losses and played well against a strong Collegiate team, winning five of the six games. We therefore came seventh overall, which was an improvement on last year’s eighth position.
The team should be proud of the tennis they played and the commitment they showed over the three days. They played with dignity and were respectful to their opposition and the staff in charge of these teams. Well done.
| Monday 28 April | Score | |
| Round 1RGHS vs Pretoria Girls’ High School Round 2 RGHS vs Potchefstroom Girls High School Round 3 RGHS vs Oranje Hoër Meisieskool | 15-3 ( Won) 18-0 (Won) 1-17 ( Lost) | |
| Tuesday 29 April | ||
| Round 4 RGHS vs Afrikaans Hoër Meisieskool Round 5 RGHS vs Paarl Girls’ High School | 9-9 (Lost) 0-18 ( Lost) | |
| Wednesday 30 April | ||
| Round 6 RGHS vs Collegiate Girls’ High School | 15-3 (Won) | |
Netball
Teacher-in-charge: Ms Yeukai Chamba
Our U19 Netball team proudly represented Rustenburg at the 25th edition of the National All Girls’ Sports and Cultural Festival, hosted by Wynberg Girls’ High School from April 27th to 30th, 2025. Embracing the festival’s theme of “Embrace Your Brilliance,” our girls certainly lived up to the motto.
Despite facing challenging circumstances, the team achieved an 11th-place finish out of 19 participating schools. A significant setback came with the unfortunate absence of star goal defender Qhayiya Mbebe, who sustained an injury during their previous league match against Westerford High School. This meant our U19 squad had to compete with only nine players throughout the entire tournament instead of their full complement of ten.
However, being a player down did not diminish the team’s spirit. In their opening match against Paarl Girls, the U19s kept pace with their opponents to secure an 18-18 draw after the third quarter. The subsequent quarter saw a tactical shift from the coach, which unfortunately disrupted their flow, resulting in a 22-30 loss. Showing their fighting spirit, the U19s bounced back to secure victories in their following games against Eunice and Pretoria Girls High School.
Day two brought with it overcast skies and a light drizzle. Our team seemed to adapt well to the slippery conditions, securing a 25-23 victory against Pietermaritzburg, displaying increased confidence. Their next encounter was against Danville Park, a team our coach admitted to underestimating. Despite trailing 16-24, the U19s mounted a tremendous comeback in the final quarter, scoring an impressive 11 goals. Unfortunately, their efforts fell just short, and they lost 27-31.
Slightly disheartened, the Rusty Bugs then faced Afrikaanse Hoer Meisieskool (Affies). The match proved to be a closely contested affair. Our U19s surprised their opponents by holding them to an 8-8 draw in the first quarter, a 13-13 draw in the second, and maintaining a narrow 21-20 lead after the third quarter. Building momentum, it seemed a victory was within reach. However, similar to the previous day’s game against Paarl Girls, a tactical change from the coach disrupted the team’s rhythm, ultimately leading to a 24-30 defeat. This result placed our team in the 11th/12th place playoff.
Ultimately, our U19 netball team concluded the festival in a respectable 11th position. Adding to the accolades, our talented Wing Attack, Eyam Makhosonke, was deservedly recognised as one of the Most Valuable Players (MVPs) of the tournament for her outstanding performances throughout. Beyond the competition, the team thoroughly enjoyed the festival, creating wonderful memories and showcasing their brilliance both on and off the court.
Summary of results:
| POOL MATCH RESULTS | |
| Rustenburg vs Paarl Girls | 22-30 |
| Rustenburg vs Eunice | 29-28 |
| Rustenburg vs Pretoria Girls | 36-11 |
| Rustenburg vs Clarendon | 25-28 |
| Rustenburg vs Collegiate | 17-33 |
| Rustenburg vs Pietermaritzburg | 25-23 |
| Rustenburg vs Danville | 27-31 |
| Rustenburg vs AHMP | 24-30 |
| 11TH / 12TH POSITION PLAY OFF | |
| Rustenburg vs Queenstown | 27-23 |
Hockey
Teacher-in-charge: Mr Olu Ncukana
The U19A Hockey Team proudly represented Rustenburg at this year’s All Girls’ Festival, facing fierce competition with determination and team spirit. They started the tournament on a high note, securing strong victories against La Rochelle and Pretoria Girls’ High.
As the tournament progressed, the team encountered tougher challenges and suffered narrow defeats to Bloemhof, Collegiate, and Oranje. Despite these setbacks, the players remained resilient and focused.
In their final match, they faced Paarl Girls’ High in a battle for 7th place. The closely contested game ended in a penalty shootout, where Rustenburg held their nerve and emerged victorious, securing 7th position overall.
Well done to the team for their grit, sportsmanship, and unwavering Rustenburg pride throughout the festival!
| 28 April | RGHS vs La Rochelle | 2-0 (Won) |
| RGHS vs Pretoria GH | 3-0 (Won) | |
| RGHS vs Bloemhof | 0-1 (Loss) | |
| 29 April | RGHS vs Collegiate | 0-2 (Loss) |
| RGHS vs Oranje | 0-1 (Loss) | |
| 30 April | RGHS vs Paarl Girls | 2-1 (Won) |
Squash
Teacher-in-charge: Ms Kuhle Mkosana
The squash team recently participated in the All Girls’ Festival hosted by Wynberg Girls’ High School. Representing our school with great enthusiasm and sportsmanship, the team consisted of Morgan Hunter (Captain), alongside Leila King, Isla Barbour, and Grace Bowley.
The players showcased impressive skill and determination throughout the tournament, competing against strong opposition from schools across the country. Despite the tough competition, the team remained focused and resilient in every match they played.
Their hard work paid off as they secured an impressive 5th place out of 12 teams—a commendable achievement that reflects their commitment and teamwork.
We are incredibly proud of the girls for their performance and the way they represented our school both on and off the court. We had great support from the parents as well as RGHS learners.
Debating
Teacher-in-charge: Ms Philippa Colly
The RGHS Senior Debating Team participated in five engaging and competitive debates at the National All Girls’ Festival, tackling a range of pressing current affairs and social issues. The team secured two wins out of five matches, gaining valuable experience in the process.
Notably, Nikita Mguqulwa (Grade 10) and Georgia Altbeker (Grade 11) were each awarded Best Speaker in two separate debates—an outstanding individual accomplishment that speaks to their preparation and confidence.
Despite tough competition, the team walked away with new skills and insights to strengthen their performance in future debates.
MasterChef
Teacher-in-charge: Ms Kelly Erasmus
The All Girls’ Festival MasterChef participants started their day at Silwood School of Cookery, where they were treated to a fascinating demonstration from pastry chef Grace Stevens. Here, they learnt proper techniques in pastry making, how to work with gelatine and garnishing. The girls were then taken to the 5-star Silo Hotel where they were treated to a private art tour followed by a world class high tea prepared by head chef Veronica Canha-Hubert. On the final day, the girls were given a fascinating knife skills demonstration by Kitchen Samurai and then put their learnt skills to practice where they competed in a MasterChef-style competition. After being given a brief to make two items using gelatine or pastry, Haadia Barday and Aisha Hamdulay created two beautiful dishes for the judges- an Apple and Cinnamon Tart with a caramel sauce and a Dark Chocolate Mousse with a Raspberry Tuile Biscuit and fresh Raspberries. Overall, the girls had a wonderful learning experience and were able to make friends with other Consumer Studies learners from around the country.
Vocal Ensemble
Teacher-in-charge: Ms Jan Thorne
The Vocal Ensemble consisted of 16 of the most experienced and accomplished School Choir members, who were invited to participate in a Lunch Hour Concert as well as in the closing ceremony in a massed choir item. Over 160 learners from 13 schools participated in mixed groups over the course of two days and were treated to excellent workshops on harmonisation, how to prepare a mash-up of multiple songs, and body percussion. Each group received a different colour as their theme and was tasked with selecting songs that fit the theme, creating an a cappella mash-up, rehearsing, and performing their arrangements on video. These were submitted and created a truly entertaining Showcase on the last morning of the festival. Thereafter, various groups were acknowledged in a short Prize-giving ceremony. Azra Adams and Erin Mae DeVries’ group received the award for Best Interpretation; Heidi Nolte and Sage Davids’ group received medals for Best Technical Performance. Overall, the quality of singing and the incredible creativity of each of the learners were truly impressive and encouraging. The closing ceremony was a musical moment for the entire Festival, and the massed choir sang a beautiful message of hope and personal power!
