How the SATS General Botha is charting a course for a new generation – Old Salt Tony Nicholas

The General Botha was originally an ex-Royal Navy cruiser, later converted into a training ship that served as a nautical college from 1922 to 1989. To honour the proud legacy of South Africa’s only training ship, former students established the SATS General Botha Association Bursary Fund in 2011. The fund aims to provide life-changing educational opportunities for young South Africans pursuing careers in maritime studies. In an interview with BizNews, Tony Nicholas - chairman of the association and himself a former cadet, shared what it meant to train four Chiefs of the South African Navy, a Victoria Cross recipient from World War II, and a Mayor of Johannesburg. Nicholas explained that the training includes compulsory school projects, mentoring, and a range of activities such as swimming, pre-sea training, sailing, and motor boating, all supported by skilled volunteers. He noted that the Bursary Fund is viewed as a way to perpetuate the legacy of the General Botha and honour all those who trained aboard her.

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