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MOSSEL BAY NEWS - Point High School hosted a special breakfast for Mossel Bay's key business people and community influencers in the school hall on Saturday, 26 February.
The guest speaker was internationally noted economist and TV and radio anchor man Dawie Roodt.
Roodt is chief economist of the Efficient Group and chairman of Efficient Private Clients (Pty) Ltd, based in Johannesburg.
He had an endearing, personal message for the Point learners at the event. The learners were involved in the catering for the breakfast and also acted as waitresses.
PHOTO GALLERY: School hosts top economist and business leaders
Roodt said he was by no means an athlete, but had completed the Comrades Marathon, the Ironman and other sport challenges and he would be attempting to climb Mount Kilimanjaro soon.
He recalled the first time he was asked to do a television show. He immediately said "yes", but when he got off the phone, thought: "What have I got myself into?"
Some of the Point learners who assisted at the event.
Nervous
During the preparation in the studio, he was nervous and his heart raced at several stages, especially during the countdowns to filming. He spoke of an earpiece being affixed to him, the director shouting orders on set and people rushing to and fro.
What plagued him most was that "my mom would be watching me".
But after the stress and anxiety, Roodt felt extremely satisfied that he had done something he thought he could not do. He has anchored more than 1 000 TV shows and more than 1 000 radio shows since then.
He urged the learners present to tackle things they thought they could not do.
Point headmaster Adolf Gouws stressed the importance of municipalities, businesses and community leaders in keeping schools healthy and strong. Speaking from first-hand experience, he told of a school in an Eastern Cape town that went from more than 1 000 learners to about 600 learners because the municipality became dysfunctional, the town deteriorated and parents took their children out of the school and placed them in schools in other towns. Gouws projected that there would be 1 412 children at Point next year.
Mossel Bay businessman Altus Wessels, a former teacher, discussed how vital it was for schools and businesses to partner together. He also expressed his understanding of the "emotional relationship of parents with the school".
Point teacher Rudolf Botha was the warm, exuberant master of ceremonies of the event.
The executive mayor of Mossel Bay Dirk Kotzé and the municipal director: corporate services Edward Jantjies were among the specially invited guests.
Some of the Point learners who assisted at the event. Photos: Linda Sparg
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