Sun May 26 02:00:37 SAST 2013

Sizwe's journey to gold

Aug 3, 2012 | Sports Staff | 93 comments

ONE of the heroes in the Olympic rowing gold medal triumph once got a little bit of help from a late South African cricket captain and Sowetan.

Comments

Sun May 26 02:00:37 SAST 2013 ::
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Aug 3, 2012

Ditete

Well Done boys, you have shown the world what South Africans are made of!
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Aug 3, 2012

maneater

only GOLD only GOLD i so love being a South African!!!!!
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Aug 3, 2012

moisa

WELL DONE SOWETAN, TRANSFORMATION SHOULD START AT THE GRASS ROOT NOT ON TOP. EVERYONE IS FIGHTING FOR SPOTLIGHT WHEN PERFORMANCE IS AT PEAK BUT ONLY FEW WANT TO START AT THE BASICS
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Aug 3, 2012

Stumaeza

Congrats gents
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Aug 3, 2012

Sinudeity_

Well done boys! Black and white working together to come out tops!
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Aug 3, 2012

Mellow

Sowetan this was a team effort not just about Ndlovu geez looks like you want to steal the spotlight by making it bout you you did good now back to Olympics

Congra again to the boys made us proud
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Aug 3, 2012

MommaC

This is an excellent example of what can be achieved if schools get sporting equipment. A bunch of second hand boats changed his world - and ours :)

What a bunch of heroes they are. Nobody mentions the training sessions where they train until they puke or the number of parties missed and freezing mornings on the damn they had to go through. Truly special young men who so very much deserved that gold
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Aug 3, 2012

MorenaWaPolelo

Tjessses i tried that rowing machine at gym today I did not last a minute rowing is hard guys!!!! Congrats gents I was shocked I never thought we could win another medal apart from swimming or athletics!!
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Aug 3, 2012

MGEEZ

Congratulations guys; you made us very proud!!!
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Aug 3, 2012

GrRRRpha

Well done guys, considering you funded your training from your own pockets. Big ups, better than politicians
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Aug 3, 2012

MorenaWaPolelo

Sinudeity_
Well done boys! Black and white working together to come out tops
================================
I prefare a South Africa team won regardless of colour!!!!
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Aug 3, 2012

DJWinner

Gatsheni! Nobody can beat the elephant.
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Aug 3, 2012

golezwa

Sowetan why is it like you wanna make it a race issue now??? there are three others but you chose to tell only of a black guy....... Anyways, congratulations team SA, you guys made us proud, its moments like this i like being S.African, I wish we can have international sports events 365days every year, cos everytime we have international sports events S.A, becomes united than ever
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Aug 3, 2012

DJWinner

Sinudeity_
Well done boys! Black and white working together to come out tops!
.............................................................................................................
Yah, we should include more black people in these water sports. Government must provide swimming pools and trainers to public schools.
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Aug 3, 2012

Sinudeity_

DJWinner - But black people cant swim.


Just kidding :P
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Aug 3, 2012

Sinudeity_

THEmadame2BBBEEE - Who are you trying to kid here?
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Aug 3, 2012

MoNati

@THEmadame2BBBEEE

You're trying too hard.
They probably kicked you out of news 24 and now you try your luck hear!
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Aug 3, 2012

Eraser

nice guys ..wel done
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Aug 3, 2012

MakeSAwork

Fantastic achievement and it highlights the fact that spoort unites a nation like nothing else.
For me, I hope that Sizwe's achievement will ignite a whole new breed of black rowers who will want to emulate his achievement and row for gold for South Africa in the future.

Well done to these four, makes very very proud to be a South African.
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Aug 3, 2012

MorenaWaPolelo

DJWinner
Yah, we should include more black people in these water sports. Government must provide swimming pools and trainers to public schools.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Not being cynical but Comrade you wanna start a public swimming schools tender row....lol...Your idea is good one chief!!
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Aug 3, 2012

MakgwebelakaKokoYaManoti!

Ke opa diatla ke re helehele bashanyana pele ya pele.
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Aug 3, 2012

wendyyah

well done to all of yoyu boys you have made us all so proud.
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Aug 3, 2012

Sinudeity_

MorenaWaPolelo - Nah, its a good idea. You cant buuurn down a pool.



Again, just kidding :P
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Aug 3, 2012

MorenaWaPolelo

THEmadame2BBBEEE
Your out of order sit down!!! Qouter's in rowing you must be smoking your undies!!!!
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Aug 3, 2012

THEmadame2BBBEEE

you see the truth hurts, ask so many black players in teams such as rugby, netball, rowing, cricket, if they have been selected because of the quota system and they will give you a big fat YES..........so lets not be arrogant here comrades, you know I’m right, ask Makhaya Ntini
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Aug 3, 2012

MommaC


Oh PLEASE don;t give the attention seeking tart attention - it only encourages her

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Aug 3, 2012

khunezwifey

well done to the boys, u showed character and unity. love ya guys
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Aug 3, 2012

somaartakeit

Well done SAn olympians you made us really really proud, you make us forget our political turmoil here at home, with our no good president gallivanting at tax payers expense all the way to Jamaica to celebrate nothing, what has Jamaica achieved in its 50yrs of independence? trust black leaders to celebrate nothingness and mediocre,

Anyway to other olympic who are still waiting waiting to dazzle the world stage, I say break a leg!
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Aug 3, 2012

MorenaWaPolelo

Olympic size pool is about 250k (depending on soil conditions) to construct so the tender would be broken down as follows:
Honest Tender
-250K pool construction
-40k for pool mantainance annualy (i.e Cleaning and Water Qualilty)

Real SA style Tender
-450k pool construction ( 50k for coucilor, 50k tender commitee,50k for director or HOD and 50k for the entertaining councilor,tender commitee and Director or HOD)
- 100k for pool mantainance annualy ( 50k for director or HOD and 10k for coucilor and pricipal annualy)

So this can be lucrative to cronies!!!!!
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Aug 3, 2012

MoNati

@MommaC

She's trying reverse psychology and not even good at it.
The extent some political supporters will go to boggles the mind.
She(if it's a she) is just a troll.
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Aug 3, 2012

Uncompromising

I was rowing in the bath this morning. I tipped over and hit my head on the tiles. No medal for me but i got "some" !
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Aug 3, 2012

MorenaWaPolelo

THEmadame2BBBEEE
Madam your are ignored!!!
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Aug 3, 2012

MommaC

MoNati

Na. Don't think it has the intelligence to even know what that is. It simply wants attention - poor thing
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Aug 3, 2012

MakeSAwork

THEmadame2BBBEEE
somaartakeit
khunezwifey
wendyyah
Sinudeity_
MakgwebelakaKokoYaManoti!
MakeSAwork
Eraser
.................
guys you are killing, mara wie is hiedie swak name, Momma C is that you in disguise.KWAAAAAAAAAAAAA
====================

Why?
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Aug 3, 2012

somaartakeit

Tjo madame lady lol MC is a serious blogger but she is totally cool, you will love her when you get to know her,

I have to say, at the rate Ch!nese are raking in gold medals, if olympic team is not careful they will soon run out of gold medals,

Tjo next time SAn gov must please sponsor our athlets to train with ch!na's sports ppl, these guys are simply the best at the olympics at the moment, but our swimmers are simply MAGNIFICENT, they made Phelps cry, lol
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Aug 3, 2012

khunezwifey

THEmadame2BBBEEE

dear, yo brain must be constipated so early in the morning.
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Aug 3, 2012

Shredder

@moisa - Mare moisa wa re bolaya ka di CAPITAL letters

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Aug 3, 2012

Shredder

This is what I call "Working together we can do more".
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Aug 3, 2012

THULILADY1982

Well done...........
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Aug 3, 2012

Shredder

@Sinudeity_
DJWinner - But black people cant swim.

Just kidding :P
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Hahahaha!! You always gave me a heart attack until I saw the just kidding part. Well, I can swim. :-D
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Aug 3, 2012

DJWinner

So, I hear that today we might get another gold medal in the swimming pool.
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Aug 3, 2012

2shy2call

Gud Boys
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Aug 3, 2012

MommaC

DJWinner

Yip.
Le Clos and Schoeman are both swimming today so some form of hardware should be coming our way.

Athletics starts today too - fingers and toes crossed for the long jump and hurdles boys
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Aug 3, 2012

MorenaWaPolelo

Shredder
MommaC
Sinudeity_
DJWinner
RobinH
I challenge you and all other bloggers to try rowing today and tell me how long you lasted? The blorrie thing is hard I could not last a minute, but he lads that won rowed for 6 minutes nad some seconds and won the medal>
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Aug 3, 2012

MommaC

MorenaWaPolelo

LOL
Not 'n donner.
My son did rowing at school - he convinced me to get in the stupid little boat with him once and I nearly died within about thirty seconds
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Aug 3, 2012

Punkies

Quick question guys, since Sascoc promised to pay R400 000 for each Gold medal. Are they going to give this boys 400k each or they will get to share the money?
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Aug 3, 2012

Papage

Well done boys, we only collect the best, Gold , Gold and Gold
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Aug 3, 2012

Decibels

THEmadame2BBBEEE
you see the truth hurts, ask so many black players in teams such as rugby, netball, rowing, cricket, if they have been selected because of the quota system and they will give you a big fat YES..........so lets not be arrogant here comrades, you know I’m right, ask Makhaya Ntini
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Makhaya Ntini held his own and set alot of records in his bowling career, he surpassed many legends......you'll never take that away from him.
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Aug 3, 2012

MOTSOKWANA

Those who spend most of their time in tarvens is time to stop. Do something with your life guys. To all Bit*ches stop sleeping around and realise your talents. Dipoto di ka sele thuse ka sepe.
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Aug 3, 2012

Sinudeity_

Shredder - Hehe, i can swim, but not very fast, and not very far :P
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Aug 3, 2012

MOTSOKWANA

I am back with a bang
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Aug 3, 2012

Sinudeity_

MorenaWaPolelo - I think an easier solution for promoting swimming at schools, is giving the kids virgin active memberships, then they can swim in those pools.
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Aug 3, 2012

THEmadame2BBBEEE

MOTSOKWANA
I am back with a bang
.................
r you by any chance Momma C?
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Aug 3, 2012

MorenaWaPolelo

I give it appears that on every blog we are going to have to put up with mor0ns and attension seekers like we do in our society ...nuf said!!!!!!!!!1
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Aug 3, 2012

MorenaWaPolelo

Sinudeity_
MorenaWaPolelo - I think an easier solution for promoting swimming at schools, is giving the kids virgin active memberships, then they can swim in those pools
===================
That can work and cut costs and save people from investigations and Thuli Madonsela also our tax money. Plus haveng kids swim Virgin Active is cheap.
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Aug 3, 2012

MOTSOKWANA

THEmadame2BBBEEE
No i am the orginal Tsokwinoski

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Aug 3, 2012

somaartakeit

Sowetan I think you are bordering on racism a bit, out of 4 rowing team you recognise only one black guy? you must always remember that the media is responsible for fueling conflict in countries such as Ruanda, now get your act together and behave like team of professionals, do that for our country's sake and for Madiba's dream of a united SA.
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Aug 3, 2012

jmo

Awe!!!
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Aug 3, 2012

MOTSOKWANA

Bana ba batho ba batsho ba tshaba metsi. They can't swim period. If there was a beer drinking olympics then we were going to win too many gold medals.
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Aug 3, 2012

somaartakeit

@Motsokwana, sorry to burst your bubble, but the English would take all Gold medals on any beer drinking competition, man those guys can drink and their women too can hold their own in the beer drinking stakes,
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Aug 3, 2012

madamx

What wrong with sowetan?
The last I checked Sizwe was part of a team...
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Aug 3, 2012

galaxy4

true SA.....
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Aug 3, 2012

MOTSOKWANA

somaartakeit
Go to one of the tarvens in Soweto, especially on a weekend and tell me when you come back.
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Aug 3, 2012

Lesoba-Le-Boya

Well done Boys...
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Aug 3, 2012

MommaC

somaartakeit

Hey there Princess, long time no see.

I think they are concentrating on Sizwe because he wouldn't even have got the opportunity to be there without their help. Makes you wonder just how many other kids out there have this much talent but no chance to prove it.
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Aug 3, 2012

Shredder

MommaC
DJWinner

Yip.
Le Clos and Schoeman are both swimming today so some form of hardware should be coming our way.
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Did you see that Chad Le Clos last night. he stood back for a long time. I thought he was not gonna make the top 3. Suddenly he unleashed the Chad out of him and broke other people's hearts :-D
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Aug 3, 2012

MakgwebelakaKokoYaManoti!

@THEmadame2BBBEEE

Che ngwana,lena ke le fuwe ke badimo.

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Aug 3, 2012

m'zaco'

wellllllllllllllllllllllllllllllldone budddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddys


Good morning fat people,...
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Aug 3, 2012

MommaC

Shredder

It seems to be a team strategy not to go flat out in the qualifiers but come in the top few. Dangerous as it has backfired on some of them.where the qualifiers were slow races and they missed out because of their times.

I find it difficult getting behind Schoeman as he is so very 'American' now but hopefully he will bring us some more bling too
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Aug 3, 2012

THEmadame2BBBEEE

@MakgwebelakaKokoYaManoti!
@THEmadame2BBBEEE

Che ngwana,lena ke le fuwe ke badimo.
....................................................
sorry what are you saying.....is that VANAC!

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Aug 3, 2012

Tikoloshe

MOTSOKWANA

Bana ba batho ba batsho ba tshaba metsi. They can't swim period.....

It's true motsokwana....you see these Pedi's, Vendas and Sotho's come here to KZN beaches and there Phata Phata their feet in the sea and think they are swimming like in Vaal Dam!!!!!
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Aug 3, 2012

MakgwebelakaKokoYaManoti!

@THEmadame2BBBEEE

@MakgwebelakaKokoYaManoti!
THEmadame2BBBEEE

Che ngwana,lena ke le fuwe ke badimo.
....................................................
sorry what are you saying.....is that VANAC!
/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
My name is from my ancestors since i'm too ancestral.
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Aug 3, 2012

THEmadame2BBBEEE

@MakgwebelakaKokoYaManoti!
My name is from my ancestors since i'm too ancestral
.....................................
Oh Really now, you mean you are a traditionalist, I assume you use traditional herbs as well! So what happens if you call out that name out loud let’s say three times do you transcend...........

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Aug 3, 2012

legrado

You really shine us guys, keep up the good spirit.
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Aug 3, 2012

Tango

Well done guys, but i personally can't wait for Tyson Gay vs Usain Bolt.
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Aug 3, 2012

ipipiembobeli

Black people.....this was a team victory and its now being turned into BEE!!! They all deserve praises!!!
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Aug 3, 2012

OLDLADY4

Tikoloshe, I'm from Knysna, and back in the day we used to call those feet wetters "Die Venters", because they all came in cars towing Venter trailers during holidays.
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Aug 3, 2012

MakgwebelakaKokoYaManoti!

@MakgwebelakaKokoYaManoti!

My name is from my ancestors since i'm too ancestral
.....................................
Oh Really now, you mean you are a traditionalist, I assume you use traditional herbs as well! So what happens if you call out that name out loud let’s say three times do you transcend...........
===============================================

No man LOL,i just talk as if i'm talking to someone right next to my curve the my ancestors will pass my pleases to Jehova,exactly like whn Jesus community ask and pray through him.
Ancestral community didnt worship ancestors but Jehova since everything is from Jehova.Lol
.
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Aug 3, 2012

Shredder

@MommaC
Shredder

It seems to be a team strategy not to go flat out in the qualifiers but come in the top few. Dangerous as it has backfired on some of them.where the qualifiers were slow races and they missed out because of their times.

I find it difficult getting behind Schoeman as he is so very 'American' now but hopefully he will bring us some more bling too
================================================================
LOL, poor Schoeman. Honestly speaking, I don't expect a lot from him either. But I hope for a medal from Le Clos, Be it Gold, silver or Bronze it doesn't matter to me. Phelps is much awake now. It will be difficult for Chad to beat him. However, nothing is impossible, he can do it again.
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Aug 3, 2012

Moahabo

Siyaziqhenya ngani bobuti
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Aug 3, 2012

SVR

Rowing is very much like life, when we all row together in the same direction and put our backs into it we can achieve anything! Shame so many of us don't realise this.
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Aug 3, 2012

Winilen

well done guys you have made us proud as SAns...

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Aug 3, 2012

MommaC

Shredder

True, he hasn't been shinning so much lately - too much American food :-P

I wonder if Phelps can do anything about our Le Clos? That boy seems to be on a mission at the moment. He won't catch Phelps napping again but I am dying for him to make those Ozzie commentators look like the giant poops that they are.

Is it the relays today or tomorrow? That should be good
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Aug 3, 2012

THEmadame2BBBEEE

@MakgwebelakaKokoYaManoti!
No man LOL,i just talk as if i'm talking to someone right next to my curve the my ancestors will pass my pleases to Jehova,exactly like whn Jesus community ask and pray through him.
Ancestral community didnt worship ancestors but Jehova since everything is from Jehova.Lol
......................................
Anyway y not just transmit your message to God directly to him instead of using various channels! So you call that name first before saying jesus, that must be exhausting

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Aug 3, 2012

MakgwebelakaKokoYaManoti!

@THEmadame2BBBEEE

Unfortunate we dont ask and pray through Jesus but we believe that he was the Juwish prophet and son of Jehova,per the bible one's spoken to Jehova directly except the anointed and chosen poeple since that's evident per the bible.It says israel chrindren used to say to their prophets "please Moses talk to your Jehova" to 4give us or give us food then their prophets will go and speak to the creator of all Jehova.If u not the chosen one,but u've elected urself as many do for money seek you talk stories.LOL
Who're you,to talk direct to Jehova because Jesus was Jehova's son so you ?
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Aug 3, 2012

M'Lungu

Hau! Now this newspaper want to politisize the win by a true rainbow team!
Well done boys- Black and White - we are claiming our rightful place in the world of sport - I am sure Madiba is truly a happy man - many years ago he said that sport will be the one thing which will unite South Africans of all races and orientation - a wise man indeed!
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Aug 3, 2012

nbogatsu

Congratulations!!!U really made us proud.I really didn't know about rowing sport,but now i know.Thanks to the boys.Well done.
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Aug 3, 2012

cornelius

@ Shredder - I agree, Phelps will not allow himself to be caught napping again, his qualifying time was also substantially better than Chad's so I don't think we must put too much hope in a gold - but a silver or even bronze will still be fantastic.
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Aug 3, 2012

Phuphethakatha

Hoooooraaaayyyyyyy!!!!
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Aug 3, 2012

Shredder

@cornelius
@ Shredder - I agree, Phelps will not allow himself to be caught napping again, his qualifying time was also substantially better than Chad's so I don't think we must put too much hope in a gold - but a silver or even bronze will still be fantastic.
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Yip, I will be happy with any medal.
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Aug 3, 2012

Mporoz

Ngonyama, Zingelwayo, Gatsheni, Boya'benyathi.

Asikho islima kaNdlovu.
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Aug 3, 2012

californiaqueen

WELL DONE TEAM SA, The gold medals are flocking now,,,,eish mara da-brothers are damnnnn!!!!!!!fine
if only i was in London i will throw myself at one of the for that huge and closest HUG!!!!!Goodness the swim suits are perfect i mean perfect colour and the rest......
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Aug 3, 2012

moralett

Halalala Madoda, we are proud of guys
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