On Thursday the 8th of May, our school proudly joined the national celebration of a century of Afrikaans—a language deeply rooted in South Africa’s history and identity. Afrikaans, one of the youngest languages in the world, evolved from Dutch and has been shaped by the diverse cultures and communities of our country. Afrikaans continues to be a vibrant part of our multilingual society.


To honour this milestone, our Year 5 class took part in a heartwarming, hands-on cultural experience led by Dr. Jerling: baking a traditional Afrikaans favourite—melktert! The classroom was alive with excitement as students measured ingredients, mixed custard and sprinkled cinnamon.  As the students enjoyed their slices of melktert, they weren’t just tasting dessert—they were savouring a piece of history.

Here’s to Afrikaans—100 years strong!

Petra Jerling
Afrikaans Teacher
Helderberg International School