News

Johannesburg’s Etanans celebrate two years in style

13 May, 2010

Etanans gathered in their brightest reds

Near-on 99 red balloons lit up the Etana office foyer yesterday afternoon to mark the Joburg leg of Etana’s second birthday celebrations. By 16h00, the atmosphere had heightened, with Etanans decked out in RED enjoying the scrumptious snacks and lining up at the bar.

Just before getting formalities out of the way, Carel Nolte cast his mind back to Etana’s launch party in 2008, of which he had been in charge, saying, “Martie Woods came down the fireman’s pole and broke her ankle. But it healed beautifully.” He laughed, adding, “It’s nice to see all the new people and all the old people coming together.”

While waiting for the speeches, Rochelle Pillay noted that this was the second year that she’s been at the Etana birthday party. “It’s looking good. We’ve got people from the other branches here, so it’s a bigger party than usual for us here in Joburg.” James Peters, Riedwaan Esack, Shireen Adams from Etana’s Cape Town branch, Zuriel Naiker and Vino Naiker from Durban, Mandy Meiring from Polokwane and Travis Maclachlan, from George, were there to join in on festivities.

Individual trophies were handed out to the Shield Cup champions, the Etana REDs. Carel also awarded a set of two 2010 FIFA World Cup™ tickets for the most enthusiastic, best-dressed supporters of the Shield Cup season. The two tickets went to Etanan David Lubbe’s kids, Brooklyn and Josh, with Carel noting that “the vuvuzela is taller than the boy [Josh]”.

Carel proudly ended his speech by calling Etana “the biggest two-year-old on the block.”

It was Rossella Grimaldi’s first Etana birthday celebration and she said: “It’s awesome. They always go out of their way to make it the best party ever. Celebration is important at Etana.”

Tové Sithole said, “The party is raucous!” while Gail Carver quipped, “And we’re going to leave before it gets even more raucous!” (They didn’t …)

It was Gizelle Erasmus’ second Etana birthday celebration party. “I’ve been here from the birth,” she said. “And we’ve only gone bigger, better and stronger.”

Cake for everyone! Happy birthday, Etana

After Abdul Ebrahim cut the red-and-white cake – chocolate and vanilla – Susan Ford, Etana’s resident journalist since day one, took time to relate how she’s been blown away by Etana’s journey over the past two years. “This is the most clever, energetic and imaginative team and writing about them turns work into pleasure,” she said of her job. “There’s no pulling teeth … they’re so clever and innovative, they write themselves.”

Asked what’s changed about Etana, she said: “At the opening they were promising, today they have done.”

Galina Kroucheva, whom Carel described as “one of very few IT people with personality and a brain,” has been with Etana since July 2008. Of the future, she said: “We are changing insurance systems over the next 18 months and they say it’s like changing aeroplane engines while in the air!”

Christo Crafford was “ ... loving it! For me, as a relatively new Etanan, the best things about parties like these are getting to know colleagues that I haven’t met yet. It’s celebrating a milestone that’s the first of many.”

And then it was time for the diski dance drill, lead by Miliswa Sitshwele and Palesa Motau of Flow Communications. Four long lines of eager Etanans, with Rossella propped up on a Zuriel’s shoulders, followed Mili and Palesa through the “sandwich”, the “shuffle”, the “s’thende” and the “heada”. Even Nash Omar got in on the shoe-shining action!

Then Yusuf Gafoor brought out the vuvuzelas and the diski dance was poweRED. The cheers grew louder each time the dance was performed. Christo was rocking it and Rossella and Nicky Stokes blew the vuvuzelas, loud and proud.

Mili announced that she would select the eight best diski dancers and the Etanans clamouRED to the front to show off their new skills. Cheers were even louder as the winners were announced: Aaron Mrabalala, Michelle Padayachee, Zaheda Khan, Nicky Stokes, Gillian Dunnett, Nthabiseng Thekiso, Rossella and Christo all made the cut and a diski dance-off like no other commenced. The winners will be going to see The Boys in the Photograph with their partners on 26 May.

Etanans were clearly reluctant to leave as they were fiRED up from the dancing and the mingling, the celebration and the enthusiasm for the coming year. If the past two are anything to go by, it’s going to be an inspiRED year ahead, indeed.