Category Archives: Sport

Sport

Athlete shines at university games

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Siboniso Soldaka won a silver medal in steeplechase during the recent Confederation of Universities and College Sports Association (CUCSA) Games.

An Office Management and Technology student,  Soldaka was part of the University Sports South Africa team which competed in the 18th  CUCSA Games which were held in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.

“I feel very excited about winning the medal. Making the team was a great achievement.”

Soldaka does not take his win for granted and attributes it to hard work and support from his coach Shaun Snyman. His training routine sees him run up to 200 km per week.

While he had always been exposed to athletics, Soldaka started taking running seriously in 2012. He now aims to qualify for the World Student Championships, the International Association of Athletics Federations, and also has his sights set on the Olympics.

Soldaka says he gains inspiration from some of the world’s renowned athletes.

“I watch documentaries of athletes who want to be the best. Great Britain’s Mo Farah is my inspiration; he sacrifices a lot and is very disciplined.”

Sitting volleyball on the cards

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In a bid to promote inclusiveness in sport, the Department of Sport Management in conjunction with the Department of Student Sports will soon launch sitting volleyball teams.

The launch will take place at Mowbray Campus next month and all CPUT staff members and students are welcome to join.

“Sitting volleyball is one of the most inclusive sport codes,” says Dr Brendon Knott, a senior lecturer in Sports Management.

Knott says the sport will be played in the refurbished state-of-the-art indoor facility at Mowbray.

The sport is relatively new in South Africa with teams only in the Western Cape and Limpopo provinces and the latter has recently finished their league and had provincial championships at the end of last month.

Sport Management lecturer Zizipho Ndlwana recently participated at the UCT sitting volleyball launch and was very fascinated with the sport and what it has to offer.

“The highlight for me, as an amputee, was getting the chance to participate in team sport for the very first time in six years. The game is not an easy one but definitely one to be reckoned with,” says Ndlwana.

“The inclusiveness was a very new and fresh component of a team sport.  I played with people of different physical abilities and disabilities, different genders, ages, physical fitness, knowledge and background of the sport.”

He adds that it is challenging to all kinds of people, enforces a fair competing field and provides opportunities to learn and appreciate one another’s differences.

ParaVolley South Africa is the organisation that supports and develops the sport in the country.

Paravolley SA’s Anton Raimondo says they are engaging with other provinces to start the sport there as well.

Raimondo, a former Paralympics athlete in sitting volleyball and a media representative in the Rio Paralympics for World Paravolley, recently gave a guest presentation in the Sport Management Department.

For more information on joining the team students may contact Quinton Summers on 0214603345
or SUMMERSQ@CPUT.AC.ZA and Zizipho Ndlwana on ndlwanaz@cput.ac.za.

 

 

 

Varsity Shield…here comes CPUT!

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The CPUT Rugby Team recently held successful trials to boost itself ahead of next year’s Varsity Shield tournament.

Following its success at the recent University Sports South Africa Games (USSA), the team has for the first time qualified for the Varsity Shield.

The team will play in the tournament from February after it won two of its three matches during the USSA 2016 at the East London Campus of Walter Sisulu University.

The team beat Vaal University of Technology and the University of Zululand, while they finished as runners- up against the host university.

“Our team includes a variety of other players from the Boland Kavaliers, Border Rugby and the Golden Lions, which placed us as one of the biggest contenders for the vacant spot in the Shield Cup,” says Team Manager, Theo Ngqwala.

The dynamic team benefitted from the exploits of the South African Schools Under-18 capped player, Akhona Sihunu, a Sports Management student.

Ngqwala says that despite lacking a dedicated sponsorship for the rugby team, the sport’s popularity is on the rise on CPUT campuses.

“Initially, we used to book a 22-seater midi-bus to take our team to matches but now we carry 120 players and fans to our matches,” he says.

“For example, we have managed to organise and field female students in developing a ladies’ side, and two of them have already been selected for the Western Province Women’s Team.”

He thanks the Department of Student Development’s Loki Manise and Bulelani Mlakalaka for their unwavering support to the team as well as HG Travel, Score, CPUT Convocation President, Bheki Hadebe for donations.

 

 

 

Alumnus joins sports team

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Thanks to a CPUT School Liaison Officer who marketed the university’s courses at Isilimela High School in Langa, Bulelani Mlakalaka opted to pursue a qualification in Sports Management.

Several years after graduating from CPUT, Mlakalaka has no regrets about turning his love for sports into a career.

“This is something that I love and that I enjoy doing,” says Mlakalaka who has been appointed as the Sport Development Officer at the Wellington Campus.

Tasked with developing and overseeing sports at CPUT, Mlakalaka has joined CPUT at an exciting time, as the university prepares to make its debut in the FNB Varsity Shield Cup, a premier inter-university rugby tournament.

Mlakalaka has been playing a key role in the management of the rugby team, which consists of students from the Bellville, Cape Town and Wellington Campuses.

“We have a lot of talent and are hopeful to do well,” he says.

“If we do well in the Varsity Shield, then we will qualify for the Varsity Cup.”

Mlakalaka, who worked at the University of Cape Town before returning to his alma mater, says he is grateful to be part of CPUT at this exciting time and to be able to give back to the university, as well as uncover and develop CPUT’s sporting stars.

Actively involved in sports whilst studying at, Mlakalaka says those years prepared him for the task at hand.

“I know the student’s needs because I was there. I can relate to them,” he says.

 

Olympics first hand

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CPUT staff member Temba Hlasho brushed shoulders with some of the world’s top athletes when he attended the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The head of the Department of Student Life and Residential Services, Hlasho is also a board member of the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC).

He, along with other board members attended all the games and supported the national team.

Hlasho says Brazil is a wonderful country, and that the games, transport, infrastructure, hospitality and security were amazing.

“Generally, the experience was overwhelming and I wish to go back there, but with my wife next time around.”

Hlasho is excited about the South African athletes’ performance as SASCOC met its medal tally target of 10.

 

 

 

 

 

 

New appointment in sports department

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Martin Koch’s career has come full circle.

Decades ago, Koch started out as a lecturer in sport management, then moved on to various management positions in the private sector and has now returned to the sports industry, with his appointment as the Senior Sports Development Coordinator at the Bellville Campus.

“I always wanted to move back into sport and when I got this opportunity, I took it,” says Koch.

Koch began his career as an academic at Technikon Witwatersrand and later moved on to the University of Johannesburg, where he lectured sports management. From there he took the leap into the private education sector where he worked as a turnaround specialist, taking poor performing colleges and bringing them up to standard.

However, Koch, who has a BCom qualification in Sports Management, says sport is his passion and his goal at this stage of his career is to uncover sporting talents at CPUT and provide these students with a platform to achieve their goals.

Koch says sport is an integral part of university life, as it provides students with the opportunity to develop new sets of skills, such as leadership and maintain a balanced lifestyle.

However, Koch says to achieve sporting goals at a university, good sports management is crucial.

“It is our job as sport managers to make sport stars shine. I’m here to service the students and make sure they reach their goals.”

 

Boxing stars set for Thailand

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Two CPUT boxers will be part of the team that will represent the University Sports of South Africa (USSA) at the World University Championships in Thailand later this year.

This comes after Nikho Mtila and Ongeziwe Zwedala won in their weight divisions at the USSA national trials which were held on the Bellville Campus recently.

The duo will be flying the university’s flag high at the championships which will take place from 3 to 8 October.

The championships are part of the sporting events of the International University Sports Federation Games 2016.

Nikho, an Analytical Chemistry student, says she is excited about the overseas trip as she has never been abroad.

“I will try my utmost best to bring a medal home,” she says.

Ongeziwe, an Industrial Engineering student, has been boxing since 2008 and is upbeat about participating in the world championships.

“I am hoping for more fights and a different training routine ahead of the Thailand championships,” he says.

The universities which took part in the recent two-day trials were CPUT, North West University, University of Fort Hare, University of the Western Cape and Walter Sisulu University.

Vuyani Mtshikana, Boxing Manager at CPUT thanked the Western Cape Open Boxing Organisation for providing the trials with boxing officials, the ring and other logistical arrangements.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cricket stars

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Following yet another successful season, the CPUT Cricket Club honoured its stars during a glitzy awards ceremony on the Bellville Campus.

Launched two years ago, the club has achieved various accolades including three players who attained Western Province’s (WP) colours.

These include Sango Mtotywa (WP Academy), Myolisi Fumba (WP Academy, Cape Cobras Colts, Cape Cobras Academy) and Mthiwekhaya Nabe (WP Academy, Cape Cobras Colts, Cape Cobras Academy and WP Amateurs).

The club’s top run scorers last season were Loyiso Mngxekeza with 557 Runs (1st team), Mthiwekhaya Nabe with 258 Runs (2nd team) and Mandilakhe Mvuli with136 Runs (3rd team)

The club’s top wicket takers for its three teams were Nande Ndlela (24 Wickets), Sandile Shabalala (26 Wickets) and Jade Philander (11 Wickets), respectively.

Beresford Williams, WP Cricket Association President, commended the Department of Student Affairs for supporting cricket as a sport.

Williams, a CPUT alumnus, says during his time at the former Peninsula Technikon he represented the institution in three National Cricket Weeks. He says the institution afforded him opportunities to enjoy the sport and that played a huge role in his career development.

He congratulated the award-winners, especially those players with provincial colours and singled out Mthiwekhaya for representing the province in the recent final against KwaZulu Natal.

Winners of Club Awards were:

Loyiso Mngxekeza (Breakthrough Player of the Season)

Jake Hine (Most Dedicated/ CPUT Cricket Club Man Award)

Loyiso Mngxekeza and Mthiwekhaya Nabe (Players of the Season)

Merit Awards went to the following players for scoring centuries during specific matches: Mthiwekhaya Nabe for scoring 106 against Atlantis Cricket Club

Jake Hine 144 against St Augustine Cricket Club

Tsepo Mkololo 107 against Belhar Cricket Club

Loyiso Mngxekeza 109 against Philipi Cricket Club

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gold for Cats

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The CPUT Basketball teams gave excellent performances recently when they bullied their way to win the Western Cape (WC) leg of the University Sports of South Africa (USSA).

Both Cats teams dominated their matches from the word go and were properly rewarded for their sterling efforts at the University of Cape Town (UCT) Sports Centre.

The women’s team beat the University of Western Cape (UWC) 64 – 40 and the men’s team won 79 – 65 against UCT.

The women’s team extended their dominance in the WC University League by winning its sixth consecutive championship whilst the CPUT men caused an upset against the much favoured UCT team which had dominated during the regular season.

The CPUT basketball club thanks the many students, staff and student leadership that came out in their numbers to support the teams.

“Without your support, we don’t think we would have shown such a fight in both games,” says the cub’s management.

 

 

 

 

Knockout stars shine at boxing tournament

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The CPUT boxing team has proved their worth in the ring, walking away with top prizes at a recent tournament held at the Johnson Ngwevela Hall in Langa.

The students slugged it out with zeal and great skill to bring home three medals.

Some of the day’s highlights included the return of Mandilakhe Qavane, who demonstrated that he is one of the contenders for this year’s championships.

After spending two years without a fight due to the demanding schedule of his studies, Mandilakhe was rewarded with a silver medal for his efforts.

Ongeziwe Zwedala showed his determination to become a champion by knocking his opponent in the opening rounds of their bout to bring home a gold medal.

The tournament was not to be without surprises as an up and coming Tembani Pakade also won a gold medal in his debut tournament.

This achievement sent the fans and members of #CPUTBOXING into hysterics.

Thabo Makhephula, coach of the CPUT Boxing Club, was delighted with the results and acknowledged the unlimited concerted efforts the students put during training sessions in the gym.

The club’s manager, Vuyani Mtshikana who is also a member of the USSA executive, was also there to witness the tremendous commitment showed by the students throughout the tournament

He said he also appreciated some CPUT boxers who did not get opponents during the tournament but stayed until its end, and gave their undying support to those who were fighting.

Following this success CPUT was recognized as a home of boxing as it later hosted a Juniors and Youth Boxing Tournament organized by the South African National Association of Boxing (Sanabo)

The four-day Sanabo tournament, which featured amateur boxers from all over the country, was held on the Bellville Campus and was broadcast on Supersport TV.

Image courtesy of hin255 at FreeDigitalPhotos.net