Mr Mechack Masiza came to Bishops in 1959. He worked in School House and the Common Room at Bishops until December 1999. He and Mrs Dora Masiza played a very significant role in the lives of four decades of students and teachers in the House and school.  At the time of his retirement, the House honoured Mr Masiza’s incredible service to Bishops, amongst others, by commissioning a painting done by Eric Wale (SH, 1934). It was always such a pleasure and honour being able to having a conversation with Mr Masiza who never ever missed a home match on the Pilrey Rees.  The Museum is currently in the process of honouring Mr Masiza.  We will publish something in due course, providing more information and so keep you in the loop.  

Dave Hiscock gave the following tribute in the Common Room in the final term of 1999.

It is an honour and a rare privilege for me to be asked to say farewell to you, Mish, on behalf of the Common Room.  Towards the end of last year Basil Bey paid tribute to you in an article in the magazine. In the article he said that you "are School House". In a sense he was doing you a disservice.  Mish you are so much more than that. You are all that is good in human beings.  You are a person with deep sense of empathy with those around you - an empathy born of that rare humility of someone at ease with himself. You respect as decent humans everyone you come into contact with. There is no fear of being threatened by others, no envy or resentment. 

The respect that you have been accorded throughout your 40 years here is not due to any Bishops folklore or to your unquestioning loyalty to the School. It is because, Mish, you are the person who you are. You do not command respect. Rather, whomsoever we are, we instinctively give it you. 

Mish, you always tell me how much Bishops has done for you. For once, you have got the equation wrong. It's not what Bishops has done for you, but what you have done for us at Bishops. It is a great honour to have been served by you. 

You are truly our Madiba.

(December 1999 Diocesan College Magazine, p. 24).

Please send in your memories so we can add them to the wonderful and inspiring story of Meshack 'Mish' Masiza.  Please send them by writing in on this site in the space provided below or send them to the Archivist Paul Murray at [email protected]