CHILDREN at Orton CE School have been learning about the lives of children in South Africa, and exchanging ideas for playground games.

Ntando Majokweni Manyosha (known as Biza), a talented rugby coach from Durban, KwaZulu Natal, in South Africa, visited the school, talking about life in the rural Eastern Cape, and encouraging the children to see the similarities, and the differences, in their games and cultures.

Biza shared his knowledge of both Xhosa and Zulu languages and traditions. He taught the Class 2 children how to count to ten in Xhosa (complete with clicking sounds) and, at the same time, learned from them about their lives.

He also taught them games that South African children play. “We learned how to play Three Castles, and we taught Biza how to play Ring Taw with marbles and a string circle,” said one of the pupils.

“For Three Castles, we had to make the ball from plastic bags and then we used old food tins to build a tower.

“Biza talked to us about how a lot of South African children play games like this, and make the game themselves from rubbish and things they have around their houses.”

Biza is visiting various schools in the Upper Eden area, and getting involved in rugby coaching at Upper Eden RUFC during his three-month stay in the area.

He then hopes to return home to Durban and take on a coaching role in the national South African rugby organisation.