How to get involved with the Gwijo Squad

Gwijo Squad will be attending the rugby match on Saturday 16 August, as they have traditionally done over the years with any match that the Springboks play at the iconic stadium.
Gwijo Squad has secured a limited number of stadium tickets.
If you would like to join a bunch of rugby enthusiasts, friendly individuals who love showing their support for the Springboks, you can click here to book your seat to be part of the activities.

Get your green and gold attire ready as all roads lead to Emirates Airline Park.

Phambili!

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Arrival at the Bok hotel

A number of members will arrive at the hotel and begin to sing amagwijo – a tradition that goes back to high schools days when it came to big derby match weekends.

Gwijo Squad was contacted by the producers of Carte Blanche, the investigative television show, to see if they couldn’t follow the squad to the Sing-Song. The film crew arrived just before the proceedings began.

Sing-Song at the Bok hotel

The Sing-Song lasts for just over an hour, but the impact it has on the players is nothing short of positive vibes and love from the Gwijo Squad members.
As Gwijo Squad began to sing amagwijo, the captain Siya Kolisi was heading into the hotel for some downtime, but he just couldn’t stop himself from running over to the squad and joining in.
The moment he arrived, the tempo picked up and the energy was electric.

Click here to watch a video of the #GwijoSquadSingSong

Siya Kolisi thanked Gwijo Squad for putting together the sing-song. Click here to watch. 

What an incredible experience as always with the team.

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The trip

The match tickets were booked months before hand. The squad was excited on embarking on the trip.
The members got to book their spaces on the trip and the countdown started for the first trip away.

The journey

On the morning of the match, Saturday 7 August, the bus arrived bright and early to collect the excited 25 strong Gwijo Squad.
The packed lunches were packed, the overnight bags were loaded and the special Gwijo Squad merchandise had been handed over.

The self-appointed captain, Mzwandile Riba, said a motivational speech to get the trip going.

At the halfway stop, the infamous Petroport N4 Alzu, the squad got out to stretch their legs and get their voices warmed up a tad bit with some of the locals joining in.
We managed to get to the Nelspruit in the planned time, checked the members into their allocated rooms.
A quick two hours to relax, take a nap and get ready to head to the stadium.

Gwijo Squad arrives at Mbombela Stadium

All the members got onto the bus to head straight to the stadium. Gwijo Squad members were excited to watch the Springboks play live for the first time in two years (due to the Covid-19 pandemic).

As we arrived to the stadium, we made our way to our seats the usual way – in song.
The experience was completely breathtaking. The cherry onto was the South African national men’s rugby team winning against the New Zealand team.

What a match. What an atmosphere. What an experience.

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About the album
Gwijo Squad together with support from Klipdrift, released five studio-recorded tracks on music streaming platforms – Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube Music.

Klipdrift reached out to Gwijo Squad and offered to assist with putting together a number of tracks for the Gwijo Squad EP.
The efforts of the premium brandy brand were welcomed by the members and steps were taken to book a producer as well as a studio for a few days.

Win your share of R10,000

All you have to do in order to stand a chance to WIN is go onto your favourite music stream platform (Spotify, Apple music, YouTube music etc) and listen to the album.
Once you have heard all the songs, pick your favourite gwijo, screengrab it and head on over to Twitter.
Post the screengrab of your favourite gwijo, tag both @KlipdriftBrandy and @GwijoSquad, and use the hashtag #KlipdriftXGwijoSquad.

Terms and Conditions

• This competition runs from Tuesday 2 November to Monday 20 December 2021 on www.gwijosquad.co.za
• For a chance to participate, you will need to post a screengrab of your favourite gwijo from the Gwijo Squad EP, tag Klipdrift & Gwijo Squad using #KlipdriftXGwijoSquad.
• All entries will be checked and verified by the Gwijo Squad committee at their own discretion.
• The winners will be selected by the committee and the judge’s decision is final.
• Voting will take place from Tuesday 21 December. No other entries will be entertained after the cut-off time.
• The judge’s decision is final, and no further correspondence will be entered into.
• The prize is not negotiable, and not transferrable.
• Entrants must be 18 years old or older to qualify.
• Gwijo Squad and Klipdrift will not be held liable for entries not received for any reason whatsoever, and will not be responsible for network connectivity or hardware issues experienced while participating.
• If a winner chosen does not comply, their entry will be disqualified, and a new winner will be randomly drawn.
• In the event that a winner cannot be successfully contacted, is ineligible to accept the prize, or contravenes the terms and conditions of this competition or of Klipdrift or Gwijo Squad, the prize will be forfeit.
• Gwijo Squad & Klipdrift reserves the right to cancel or amend the competition and these terms and conditions without notice. Any changes to the competition will be notified to participants as soon as possible by the promoter.
• Employees of Klipdrift and their immediate family and friends, are not permitted to enter the competition.
• Gwijo Squad committee members and their immediate family and friends, are not permitted to enter the competition.
• By entering this competition, a participant is indicating his/her agreement to be bound by these terms and conditions.
• All queries can be sent to gwijosquad@gmail.com.

Good luck!

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“Like I said at the time of the draw, to be in the same pool as Ireland and Scotland will be a massive challenge, but to win the tournament, you have to be able to beat all the teams and we will be properly tested in the pool phrases,” says Springbok coach, Jacques Nienaber.

 

With the match dates and venues confirmed, it is time for Gwijo Squad to start the preparation of attending the Rugby World Cup 2023.

The members tried to be part of the Japan edition in 2019, which saw the team they support, Springboks, lift the Webb Ellis Cup when they beat England in the final on 2 November 2019.
The preparations for the 2023 tournament have been finalised and Gwijo Squad will be heading to France in 2023 to support the Springboks in the Quarterfinal match. 

The idea of witnessing Siya lift back-to-back World Cups with the Gwijo Squad in full cry  is an opportunity I definitely won’t be missing out on, says Gwijo Squad committee member Malibuye Cossie 

There will be packages made available for the members along with payment plans for the trip of a lifetime.
The packages will include flights, accommodation and official Springbok match tickets.

The Gwijo Squad will be approaching relevant businesses seeking sponsorships to assist with some of the financials – to make the trip affordable for the members.
There are fundraising efforts that are in the pipeline as well. 

#GwijoSquadRWC2023

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Where can you find them?

Gwijo Squad together with support from Klipdrift, released five studio-recorded tracks on music streaming platforms – Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube Music.

Klipdrift reached out to Gwijo Squad and offered to assist with putting together a number of tracks for the Gwijo Squad EP.
The efforts of the premium brandy brand were welcomed by the members and steps were taken to book a producer as well as a studio for a few days.

What to expect

The wonderful mixture of the voices brings the tracks to life and you feel that you can easily pump up the volume and sing-a-long.
The amagwijo featured on the EP are given a slight twist to suit the Gwijo Squad flare and energy but otherwise their are amagwijo that many have grown up singing and will continue singing.

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What’s it all about?

Some people like to take a leisurely walk. Some people like to get their heart rates pumping incredibly fast. While others like a quick cycle around the neighbourhood or three.
We are saying whatever your fitness choice, be part of the Fitness with Gwijo Squad club.

What is the target?

We have started the challenge at 100km of fitness per month. Whether you cycle, run or walk it, just make sure you are having fun doing it.
The challenge starts on Monday 1 March!

How do I join?

Anyone can join. All you have to do is go onto Strava, download the app (if you don’t have it yet) and join the Fitness with Gwijo Squad club. 

We will be launching our challenges in the months to follow as we see the engagement with our members.
This will allow our members to be able to earn rewards through the app, as well as with Gwijo Squad.

Any motivation?

We love to get our members motivated, so we asked a few of our Gwijo Squad members who are part of the club to let us know how they stay motivated and what fitness means to them.

“When I workout, I feel and perform at my best in almost all aspects of my life, a clear mind all around. Not to mention how it keeps me healthy and in good shape. It’s a lifestyle you won’t regret. Try it!,” says Naledi Mdyesha

“I do it (move my body, get my heart working a bit more) to respect my body and the need for it to carry me through the years that are still to come. It’s worth it,” says Dean Thompson

“Fitness to me is proving to myself that I am capable of whatever I set my mind to and despite of everything that happens around me, I am capable of pushing myself to my limits, changing my mental attitude and smashing goals… all whilst looking and feeling good too. Go on, start with 1km a day. You got this,” says Litha Mbete

“Starting is always the hardest part, but once you’ve gotten and laced up things get waaay easier. Just try enjoy the journey, be patient and the results will come to fruition.” says Mivuyo Mjajubana

The first few weeks of Fitness with Gwijo Squad are likely to be the toughest. Be patient and take small steps to actively improve your health.
Be patient, the benefits will be worth it.

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Our 2021 virtual activities

Netball World Cup 2023 with Gwijo Squad

The Netball World Cup will be hosted in Cape Town in 2023 and we will be supporting the Protea ladies, in the Mother City.
It’s going to be a vibe.
The travel prices have been finalised.
We will start an 18-month payment plan in March in order to give those that want to attend enough time to raise the necessary funds.
The final amount will include*:
– Arena ticket
– Return flights (from Johannesburg only)
– Accommodation
– Transport to and from the airport
– Special edition travel kit
All will be outlined once we open up the debit order system.
There will be an option for arena ticket only for those that will not be coming from Johannesburg.

The Great Gwijo Squad Online Quiz

The Great Gwijo Squad Online Quiz is back!
We have been inundated with requests to continue this family-friendly virtual quiz.

The online quiz is a great way for you and your family and friends to have tons of fun while in lockdown. You can even form a team with friends in other cities and even a different country.
It is fun and there is tons of banter in the comments section.
We hosted three online quizzes in 2020, with special guests such as Temba Bavuma, Makhaya Ntini, Babalwa Latsha, Karla Pretorius, Joel Stransky, Monde Zondeki, Kaunda Ntunja and Dumisani Chauke just to name a few.
The views from the quizzes are over 1 000, with over 30 teams that have participated in the quiz.
The quiz consists of general knowledge, picture rounds, music rounds and the most loved category: Girls school and Boys school trivia.

It’s BINGO night time!

A Gwijo Squad first… Bingo Night!

With lockdown continuing and the committee eager to keep the members active (virtually), we will be hosting a Bingo Night for everyone on Zoom.
The event is completely free and you’ll need to register in order to receive your bingo cards.
Bingo is super fun and can be played as one-player or as a team.

We hope that you can join us on Bingo Night on Friday 23 April at 8pm.
Register yourself or your team in order to get your special bingo cards.

Fitness with Gwijo Squad

Fitness means different things to different people, especially during the recent lockdown months.

Let’s have a challenge where everyone can get involved in the comfort of their neighbourhood and gym.
We present to you… Fitness with Gwijo Squad.
All you need is to download the Strava app and join the challenges.
All the running or walking will start in March and your target is to run/walk 100km within the month.
Tackling as much any kilometres as you can each day and by the end of the month, you’ll need to have done the full 100km.
Interact with fellow fitness members (and non-members too).
Share exercise playlists.
Share stretching tips and get the little humans involved too. It’s fun for the whole family!

You’ll get to tag us and use #FitnessWithGwijoSquad #GwijoSquad100 on Twitter to see who else is part of the challenge!

The Fitness with Gwijo Squad challenge/group will be available to join on the Strava app on 1 March 2021.

It’s going to be a jam-packed first half of the year and we are itching to get started with our virtual activities for 2021.

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“Violence against women is a persistent and universal problem occurring in every culture and social group. Around the world, at least one in every three women has been beaten, coerced into sex, or otherwise abused in her lifetime – most often by someone she knows, including a member of her own family, an employer or a co-worker.
Violence against women has been called “the most pervasive yet least recognised human rights abuse in the world.” – extraction from What Is Gender-Based Violence?

Watch the ladies discussion

The panel consists of different and dynamic women from different professional backgrounds but that share a special passion which is to speak out against gender-based violence.
Each of the ladies has experienced and/or has someone close to them going through the pain of gender-based violence, share their insight and unpack what they think society should consider in finding solutions to gender-based violence.
We interrogate what and how men in South Africa are reacting to this pandemic.
A very interesting and solution-driven discussion.

Watch the men’s discussion

The purpose of our intervention was to create a safe space where men were asked to air their views and questions without fear of judgement and retribution as long as they came with an open mind to the views of others and the intention to learn and become more attuned to the understanding of how, we as men, can contribute to the weeding out of problematic behaviour in our own circles.
We gathered a group of men who were brave enough to be that vulnerable and we had the conversation so that we might contribute to the elucidation of other men in our circle of influence.
Indeed a lively debate was had with a number of pre-planned topics as well as many ideas that emanated from the discussion and had not been anticipated.
We trust that this will be received in the spirit in which it was embarked on and we eagerly anticipate the feedback, be it compliments or constructive criticism. Here is to incremental improvements toward a better and safer future for our country’s women.

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Gwijo Squad partnered with Klipdrift Brandy to express themselves through igwijo. It has been a harmonious collaboration.

Behind-the-scenes

Our studio was booked and we had a few willing members who had put up their hands and had a few hours to spare into putting together the project with Klipdrift Brandy.
Happy faces arrived at the studio in time to get a summary of how the afternoon would roll-out.
Voices were warmed up and it was time to take to the microphones in the soundproofed room, with the sound engineer taking full control.
Our camera operator was able to take some great shots of the team in action.
It was a wrap once all the vocals were laid down and the team was happy with the work done over the hours.

The final production

Click on the below links to watch the full video and share it with your friends and family.
YouTube 
Facebook

Uthuleleni Mawande’s lyrics

Umhlabeli: Wen’ uthuleni?
Squad: Uthuleleni Mawande?
Umhlabeli: I’m sorry sis’
Squad: I’m sorry sisi, ndiyakwazi.
(Repeats after each verse)

Umhlabeli: mna ndinguJalamba
Squad: ndinguJalamba, mamela.
Umhlabeli: I’m sorry sis’
Squad: I’m sorry sisi, ndiyakwaz’.
Umhlabeli: mna ndinguMthimkulu
Squad: ndinguMthimkulu, mamela.
Umhlabeli: I’m sorry sis’
Squad: I’m sorry sisi, ndiyakwaz’.

Umhlabeli: mna ndinguMaduna
Squad: ndinguMaduna, mamela.
Umhlabeli: I’m sorry sis’
Squad: I’m sorry sisi, ndiyakwaz’.
Umhlabeli: mna ndingumamTolo
Squad: ndingumamTolo, mamela.
Umhlabeli: I’m sorry sis’
Squad: I’m sorry sisi, ndiyakwaz’.

Umhlabeli: mna ndingumamZotho
Squad: ndingumamZotho, mamela.
Umhlabeli: I’m sorry sis’
Squad: I’m sorry sisi, ndiyakwaz’.
Umhlabeli: mna ndinguJikijwa
Squad: ndinguJikijwa, mamela.
Umhlabeli: I’m sorry sis’
Squad: I’m sorry sisi, ndiyakwaz’.

Umhlabeli: thina singamaZizi
Squad: singamaZizi, mamela.
Umhlabeli: I’m sorry sis’
Squad: I’m sorry sisi, ndiyakwaz’.
Umhlabeli: rona re baKoni
Squad: re baKoni, mamela.
Umhlabeli: I’m sorry sis’
Squad: I’m sorry sisi, ndiyakwaz’.

Umhlabeli: rona re baKwena
Squad: re baKwena, mamela.
Umhlabeli: I’m sorry sis’
Squad: I’m sorry sisi, ndiyakwaz’.
Umhlabeli: thina singoGatsheni
Squad: singoGatsheni, mamela.
Umhlabeli: I’m sorry sis’
Squad: I’m sorry sisi, ndiyakwaz’.

Siyaziqhenya ngemvelaphi yethu. Nani, khanizazise, ningamani?

Don’t forget to share the gwijo with your friends and family. Let’s get everyone involved.

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