Members of U3A Joburg North Branch on a recent excursion to Pilanesberg.
The group’s name was coined to refer to retirees who are no longer in full-time employment. U3A began in 1972 in France, where faculty members and working academics were the course facilitators and lecturers. It spread to the United Kingdom with the realisation that third agers had skills to organise and teach their own autonomous learning groups and has been adopted in over 36 countries around the world.
There are seven branches in Gauteng, one of which are in North Riding (Johannesburg North Branch) and another in Hurlingham (Johannesburg Branch).
We spoke to Margaret Britz, a member of the North Riding branch. She explained the branch boasts a membership of about 600 members as of last year December. “U3A runs from February to November each year in keeping with the University recesses.”
Their subscription is R50 per year and includes listening to one speaker/lecturer per month. These talks are held at the Gereformeerde Kerk Randburg in Northwold on the first Tuesday of every month. “Once a member, you are entitled to join our Special Group Interests, which are held at various venues. For your pleasure we have walking, art and opera,” said Britz.
She added that they discuss South African literature, play bridge and scrabble and learn about line-dancing, photography and even the Spanish language. The group also holds a bi-monthly social luncheon at various restaurants and go on various outings to different places and exhibitions. “We invite all retirees to visit us. You may come as a visitor to any lectures for R20.”
Britz said that anyone who joins them will make new friends and maybe meet old friends they worked with years ago – what more could anyone ask for?
Details: Margaret Britz 011 475 0756; 073 281 8620.
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