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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In Africa, netball is the biggest female participation sport. The sport has been seen huge growth on the continent over the years.
Cape Town will be the proud host city of 16 nations for the 10-day tournament.

Netball World Cup 2023, are you ready?

Gwijo Squad is a group of sports fanatics, young and old, who are connected by the love of igwijo – traditional South African singing that is synonymous with coming-of-age celebrations, weddings, struggle and liberation movements, as well as sports events. If you have ever attended a KwaZulu-Natal netball league match, you will recognise that igwijo is synonymous with the sport.
Spectators can be heard belting out Masambe Nono, in an effort to motivate their team, through song.
Gwijo Squad, intends to bring this unique flavour of spectatorship to the world stage, and plan to do this at the Netball World Cup in 2023, on home soil, in Cape Town!

“It is an exciting time for netball right now. Our sport is growing in popularity at an unprecedented rate throughout the world,” INF President, Honourable Molly Rhone said.

The preparations for the Netball World Cup are well-underway, despite the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Being able to support the SPAR Proteas in the stands, has been a big goal for the Gwijo Squad, as netball is one of our key sports identified (together with rugby and cricket). But due to matches not being hosted in South Africa and the pandemic also getting in the way, we can finally cement the dates and work towards showing our full support to the ladies in green and gold,” says Nande Macingwane, Gwijo Squad committee member.

Planning has started

Gwijo Squad’s plans to attend the tournament in Cape Town have started. The supporters club which is filled with sports fanatics will head to Cape Town for four days to catch the ladies in action.
The members have set up a financial saving system to give themselves enough time to raise the funds needed to be comfortably accommodated in Cape Town.
There will also be fundraising drives put in place to help raise some funds as well as approaching potential brands for sponsorships.

Gwijo Squad can’t wait to be part of this amazing experience and tick it off your bucket list – Netball World Cup 2023, in Cape Town, be ready!

Book your spot TODAY and don’t miss out on this once in a lifetime trip.

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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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Farewell family

As individuals within the Gwijo Squad community, we have all individually experienced loss of friends and family, but as a collective with a purpose, COVID-19 had dealt us a few telling blows.
The loss of two giants of South African rugby, Kaunda Ntunja and Monde Tabata, has made the country’s game, the black rugby community, and indeed the Gwijo Squad immeasurably poorer.

In their own unique way these men used their platforms to advance the development and inclusivity of South African rugby, they advanced the rise to prominence of black rugby, and played direct roles in opening doors for and amplifying the Gwijo Squad as they believed in the importance of the movement to bring igwijo into the mainstream of the South African game.
Many within the squad had personal relationships with these gentlemen and our hearts will bear the scars of 2020’s wounds forever.

What we got up to in 2020

Our year got off as planned with a football match with the Barmy Army, who were in South Africa to support the English cricket team who were playing the Proteas.
The football match churned some attention from the media and we had quite a few of our members either take to the field or cheer on the team from the stands at Pirates Club. The visitors were a bit better than the Squad and the victory was celebrated with a few cold ones at the pub after the official floating trophy was handed over.
Our presence was felt at the Wanderers Stadium, in support of the Proteas, during the Test match and of course, the One Day International (the ever-popular Pink Day) against England.
We worked with Standard Bank on the ODI and assisted with one of their initiatives with youngsters and the development of cricket.
Alas, this was to be our final in-person gathering as the Squad in the year of 2020.

It has been an (almost) entire year of not being able to gather to do what it is that we, as a group, love to do.
A special word of gratitude must go to Nondwe Maqubela, whose online quiz nights have carried us through the darkest times of our lockdown.
We managed to host three live-streamed quizzes with special guests such as Temba Bavuma, Dumisani Chauke, Joel Stransky, Karla Pretorius, Babalwa Latsha, Monde Zondeki, and Gcobani Bobo – just to name a few.
The trivia ranged from general knowledge, picture rounds, a special round of boys and girls schools trivia as well as a jam-packed music round.
You never know, we may host a few more in 2021 for all our members and friends.

It has been a year of virtual interaction and igwijo has been no different with us being involved in a number of exciting initiatives over the year that we contributed virtually to.

At the beginning stages of lockdown, we did a special collaboration with Engen together with Hlubi The Twin. The message we drove was for everyone to wash their hands and adhere to the social distancing instructions from our government.

Partnering with a long-time friend of the Gwijo Squad, Mandisi Dyantyis, in an effort to keep the conversation of gender-based violence going, and highlighted the struggles that women go through in South Africa. The reception of the project from the public and the mainstream media was absolutely amazing which signalled that the initiative had served its intended purpose.

One of the most entertaining virtual collaboration that we did, was with Klipdrift and is available on YouTube, titled “Unklipped: Gwijo Squad”, which I recommend, and the follow-up titled “Lockdown Chillas – The Gwijo Squad”, with about 400,000 combined views and counting.

Later in the year, in an effort to contribute to keeping the conversation around gender-based violence going, we decided to continue on the same vein and facilitate a conversation amongst some of our members to discuss some thorny issues and questions to advance the sophistication and understanding around the GBV conversation.
We had two teams which consisted of members and also friends of the Gwijo Squad, to unpack the conversations. You can watch both ‘In discussion with’ on our ever-growing YouTube channel.
Check it out and let us know what you think.

Chasing the Sun

The Chasing The Sun documentary was a welcome reminder of our journey with the Springboks under Siya Kolisi’s tenure and a year since one of our finest hours in the gathering for the Rugby World Cup Final at the Sandton Convention Centre.
It highlighted the reality that, amongst all that we are doing, what we all really want to do is to be able to sing together.
Just prior to the release of the documentary, we had taken the opportunity to embark on a special project that we have intended on doing for some time, and that was to get into a recording studio and make some of our favourite gwijo available to digital music platforms.
We are pleased to say that that process is also in its final stages and further details on the availability of the recordings will follow very shortly.

Upcoming events in 2021 and beyond

But what of the physical presence of Gwijo Squad at upcoming events?
Well, asilelanga.
After lengthy deliberation and attempts to get Gwijo Squad into the stadium for the 2021 British and Irish Lions tour, we were put in a position where we had a very difficult decision to make.
Essentially, we were pushing to be able to block buy tickets but there was no guarantee that the tickets that we booked would be together in a block to allow us to be together as Gwijo Squad. It was decided that our being able to sing together was more important than being inside the stadium and it was thus more worthwhile for us to organise ourselves a viewing venue and create a similar experience as we did for some of the 2019 Rugby World Cup matches including the final.
We will keep the Gwijo Squad community abreast of developments especially as the B&I Lions Tour approaches.

A little further in the horizon, there are two major events that we have identified as Gwijo Squad targets – namely the  2023 Netball World Cup in Cape Town and 2023 Rugby World Cup in France.
The committee has been hard at work putting the costings and logistics together for these 2 events to allow for us to break the costs up into monthly payments as we have done for all of our previous stadium trips.
We will be looking to launch these two initiatives in March 2021 for our members to start saving towards a really big year in 2023.

From the Gwijo Squad committee, 2021 has dragged us all over the tumult of a pandemic that has not only taken lives but thrown livelihoods into disarray.
In spite of all this, and however difficult our own circumstances currently are, we can be grateful for still being here and having a future that promises better days.
The final verse of hymn 126 of in the Xhosa Methodist hymnal starts: “Vuyani! Vuyani! Vuyani! Mabandla asesemhlabeni. Bongani! Bongani! Bongani! Nje ngabasebungcwaliseni.”
The lyrics, that remind those of us who are still on earth to be grateful for the blessing of life, has never been more apt and poignant.
We look forward to singing and celebrating together again in the future until then, wear your masks, wash your hands, keep your distance, and stay safe.

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