Liz McGregor is a South African author and a journalist who worked for leading South African newspapers such as the Sunday Times and the Rand Daily Mail . Some of the books written by McGregor include Load-shedding: Writing On and Over the Edge of South Africa and Khabzela: The Life and Times of a South African . [1] [2]
McGregor was born in Cape Town. [3] McGregor left South Africa in 1985, returning in 2002 to work on a story commissioned by New York Magazine . [4]
McGregor profiled the life of South Africa's popular radio DJ, Fana Khaba, in Khabzela: The Life and Times of a South African (2005). [4] The book was called a powerful and compassionate study by the Journal of Southern African Studies . [4] In Who Killed the Rain Queen? (2007), McGregor investigates the death of a Limpopo rain queen at age 25. [5]
McGregor's work, The Springbok Factory (2013), looks at the women in the lives of the Springbok Rugby players. [6] The book also examines the divide between black and white rugby players in South Africa. [7] McGregor spent two years researching her book. [6] The Cape Times called The Springbok Factory "a riveting study of the inner workings of South African rugby." [8] This book made her a "household name" in South African rugby circles. [3]
The South Africa national rugby union team, commonly known as the Springboks, is the country's national team governed by the South African Rugby Union. The Springboks play in green and gold jerseys with white shorts, and their emblem is the Springbok, a native antelope and the national animal of South Africa. The team has represented South African Rugby Union in international rugby union since 30 July 1891, when they played their first test match against a British Isles touring team. Currently, the Springboks are the reigning World Champions, having won the World Cup a record four times. South Africa are the only team to have won half of the Rugby World Cups they have participated in, and are also the second nation to win the World Cup consecutively.
Daniël Hartman Craven was a South African rugby union player (1931–1938), national coach, national and international rugby administrator, academic, and author. Popularly known as Danie, Doc, or Mr Rugby, Craven's appointment from 1949 to 1956 as coach of the Springboks signalled "one of the most successful spells in South African rugby history" during which the national team won 74% of their matches. While as a player Craven is mostly remembered as one of rugby's greatest dive-passing scrumhalves ever, he had also on occasion been selected to play for the Springboks as a centre, fly-half, No.8, and full-back. As the longest-serving President of the South African Rugby Board (1956–93) and chairman of the International Rugby Board, Craven became one of the best-known and most controversial rugby administrators. In 1969, Craven sparked outrage among anti-apartheid activists when he allegedly said, "There will be a black springbok over my dead body". Craven denied saying this and in his later career promoted black and coloured training facilities.
Uitenhage, officially renamed Kariega, is a South African town in the Eastern Cape Province. It is well known for the Volkswagen factory located there, which is the biggest car factory on the African continent. Along with the city of Port Elizabeth and the small town of Despatch, it forms the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality.
Graaff-Reinet is a town in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. It is the oldest town in the province and the fifth oldest town in South Africa, after Cape Town, Stellenbosch, Simon's Town, Paarl and Swellendam. The town was the centre of a short-lived republic in the late 18th century. The town was a starting point for Great Trek groups led by Gerrit Maritz and Piet Retief and furnished large numbers of the Voortrekkers in 1835–1842.
The Diocesan College is a private, English medium, boarding and day high school for boys situated in the suburb of Rondebosch in Cape Town in the Western Cape province of South Africa. The school was established on 2 October 1849 by the Anglican Bishop of Cape Town.
Victor Matfield is a South African former professional rugby union player. He played for and captained the South Africa national team (Springboks) as well as the Blue Bulls in the Currie Cup and the Bulls franchise in Super Rugby. He is generally considered one of the best locks to have ever played for South Africa and had a long successful partnership with Springbok and Blue Bulls teammate Bakkies Botha.
Wynberg Boys' High School is a public English medium boys high school situated in the suburb of Wynberg of Cape Town in the Western Cape province of South Africa. Founded in 1841, it is one of the best academic schools in Cape Town, it is believed by scholars and old boys to be the second oldest school in South Africa, however, there are several schools that were established at earlier dates as far back as 1738.
Edwin Peter Andrews is a South African politician serving as the Deputy Mayor of Cape Town since November 2021. A former rugby union footballer, his usual position was prop, and he played for the Springboks. He played for the Stormers in the Super 14 between 2003 and 2007.
Solomzi "Solly" Tyibilika was a South African rugby union footballer, who played as a flanker for the Lions in the international Super 14 competition in his last years. He was the first black person to score a test try for the South Africa national rugby union team.
Johan "Rassie" Erasmus is a South African rugby union coach and former player. He was the head coach of the South African national team from 2018 to the end of their 2019 World Cup campaign, doubling up on his duties as the first ever SARU Director of Rugby, to which he was appointed towards the end of 2017. He led South Africa to win the Rugby World Cup in 2019 and 2023. He also won the 2019 World Rugby Coach of the Year award. Erasmus played for the Free State, the Golden Lions, Cats and the Stormers. He won 36 caps for South Africa between 1997 and 2001, including playing at the 1999 Rugby World Cup.
Rustenburg Girls' High School and Rustenburg Girls' Junior School are two separate public schools with a shared history, originating in the suburb of Rondebosch in Cape Town, South Africa. Rustenburg was founded in 1894 and divided into separate junior and high schools in 1932.
Dion O'Cuinneagain is a former rugby union player who represented both South Africa and Ireland. Since retiring as a rugby player, O'Cuinneagain has worked as a doctor and as a rugby coach.
Luke Asher Watson is a South African former rugby union footballer who can play at flank or eighthman. He has represented and captained the South African Schools rugby team (2001), South Africa's under-19 (2002) and under-21 (2004) teams, as well as the Springbok Sevens team (2001). Watson has also captained both the Western Province and the Super Rugby Stormers. He most recently played for the Eastern Province Kings.
The North-West University (NWU) is a public research university located on three campuses in Potchefstroom, Mahikeng and Vanderbijlpark in South Africa. The university came into existence through the merger in 2004 of the Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education, a large, historical university dating back to 1869, which also had a branch in Vanderbijlpark, and the University of North-West. With its merged status, the North-West University became one of the largest universities in South Africa with the third largest student population in the country. NWU ranks among top universities locally, in Africa and globally.
Sydney Nomis was a South African national rugby union player who until 2001 held the record for most consecutive matches (25) played for the Springboks. Nomis is best remembered for tries that he scored against France in 1968 and the All Blacks in 1970.
Nizaam Carr is a South African rugby union footballer who plays as a back rower. He is renowned for his athleticism and linking play.
Eben Etzebeth is a South African professional rugby union player who currently plays for the Sharks in the United Rugby Championship and the South Africa national rugby team. He made his international debut for the Springboks in 2012 and has since won 130 caps, making him the Springboks' most capped player. His regular playing position is as a loosehead lock. He is often considered one of the best locks to have ever played for South Africa.
Patricia Schonstein, who also writes under the name Patricia Schonstein-Pinnock, is a South African-Italian novelist, poet, memoirist, author of children’s books and curator of anthologies. Schonstein, whose novels variously employ the genres of magical-realism, meta-fiction and narrative fiction, is famous for novels such as Skyline and A Time of Angels.
Khabzela: The Life And Times Of A South African is a bestselling 2005 biography written by South African author Liz McGregor about South African disc jockey Fana Khaba, who died from AIDS.
Eloise Webb is a South African rugby player. She has represented South Africa internationally in rugby sevens and fifteens.