Sandringham High alumni reviving school

A group of Jewish Sandringham High School alumni have joined forces with former schoolmates in an ambitious project to rejuvenate their alma mater, breathing new life into it. 

Many Johannesburg Jews attended Sandringham High School, much like Greenside, Northview, and other top government schools, from the 1950s to the 1990s. So much so, that there were times when the school would literally close for the high holy days because either there wouldn’t be teachers or there wouldn’t be pupils in the class to teach. At Sandringham in those days, you could even opt to do Jewish Studies twice a week. 

Though far from a Jewish school, Sandringham High maintained strong ties to the Jewish community, with about 10% to 20% of students being Jewish by the 2000s. “There were certainly many Jews who went there in the 1980s and 1990s. By the time I got there, it was probably still about 20%,” said Benji Shulman, a 2004 graduate and active alumni member. 

Said Shulman, “In the year that I was there, the school was at this really unique moment in South African history. I used to walk down the corridors, and you would hear five, six, or seven languages being spoken. There were a variety of religions. There was also a variety of people from different [social] classes. You had poor kids coming by taxi every day, and you had kids rocking up in fancy cars that were given to them by their dads. 

“It was a place of diversity in the real sense of the word. So, you developed an understanding of South Africa, Johannesburg, and the rest of the world around you. People really appreciated that they could have that experience in the school. And they understand that, while the school isn’t what it was, there’s still an opportunity to continue that legacy in some way.” 

At the time that Caryn Conidaris, the cofounder of The Human Resource Practice, attended Sandringham High in the late 1970s, it was the third largest feeder to the University of the Witwatersrand, and she hopes that through work being done by the alumni association, the school can return to that place. 

“I grew up with such privilege as a result of attending Sandringham. I still have many close friends from my school days. We want to create a school of which we can all be proud,” she said. 

So, as the Sandringham High School Alumni Association and school executive launched an initiative to restore infrastructure, boost academics, and revive the school’s reputation, Jewish alumni joined the drive. The organisations are working with the Gauteng Department of Education to revamp the school. 

Daniel Schay, Democratic Alliance councillor for the area, said, “Four years ago, when I started as councillor, if I could’ve cut Sandringham High School out of the ward and set it off as an island, I would have. It was a disaster in the heart of our ward. 

“I’ll never forget two years ago, driving past Sandringham High School, and I saw a mongoose running around because the grass was so out of control, literally wild animals were living there. Now it’s being maintained,” said Schay. 

The chairperson of the alumni association, Frankie Coda, said that even today, Sandringham alumni live by the school’s motto, Factum Non Verbum (actions not words), which is evident in how many people have come forward to help. 

“There’s an immense love for the school, and though everyone in the community may have written it off, the alumni believe that it’s important to restore the school to its former glory.” 

Sandringham High Principal Pascal Rekhoto and his executive, along with the governing body and the alumni association, have recruited the assistance of the CAP Edusafe Project, a volunteer-driven initiative aimed at rejuvenating public schools sustainably. 

The project bases its work on the lessons learned from the successful rejuvenation of Jeppe High School for Boys, with CAP and the education department as partners. 

“The combination of our roadmap with the credibility of the CAP brand and operating successes was a convincing proposition, and the department was supportive of the pilot at Sandringham,” said Rob Katzen, who worked on the CAP Edusafe Project at Jeppe and is now working on Sandringham High. 

The CAP Edusafe team began work at Sandringham High in June 2025, taking over security and helping to clear maintenance backlogs. Since then, corporate supporters have invested in major upgrades, including renovating the bathrooms. 

At the launch of the revamp by the alumni association on 6 November, 120 alumni from many different backgrounds came together to show their support for a school where they spent their formative years. 

“That school was important in my life, and taught me a lot of things, so it’s a good opportunity to give back,” said Shulman. 

Coda said it was vital for the community to see the school as a safe, positive space rather than a centre of crime. Beyond that, Sandringham High carries a strong legacy as one of the top-performing schools of its time, holding deep heritage value for many in the area. Reviving it, he said, wouldn’t just restore pride, it would uplift the surrounding community and its pupils. 

After hearing Coda speak on ChaiFM about the upliftment projects at the school, 1986 Sandringham High School alumnus Darryl Brainin, one of the partners of Burgess Plumbing, was inspired to step in and help improve the state of the school bathrooms, a project that has now been completed. 

Brainin wanted to help out so that others could experience the same joy that he had attending the school. “I have good memories of the sense of belonging at Sandringham High, it was a happy school, and what really brought pupils together was the energy and camaraderie, especially with the rugby games played every week.” 

Burgess Plumbing took on four bathrooms as a complete turnkey project, which included stripping and cleaning; doing necessary building work; redoing all plumbing, water, and drainage supplies; re-tiling; replacing glass and mirrors; installing new doors, toilet roll holders, soap and paper towel dispensers, and feminine hygiene bins; and upgrading the lighting. 

One of the priorities was to install water-conscious solutions. The team installed Arumloo toilets, which flush on two litres of water per flush, waterless urinals, and demand taps fitted onto stainless steel basin troughs to minimise water wastage. 

Said Schay, “Many people think that Johannesburg is a lost cause too. I vehemently disagree. If a few dedicated people can have the impact we’re seeing at Sandringham High School in such a short time, we can replicate it in Johannesburg.”