Honey-voiced and softly-spoken, Anette Grobler, Student Development Officer at CPUT, adventure sportswoman and the first person in the world to walk the entire length of the Northern Namib Desert coastline in Angola, speaks with an authority that is hard to ignore.“If I can teach students one thing, it’s this - nothing that happened in the past can influence one’s future, unless we give it the power to do so. “

The severely asthmatic Grobler recently made history yet again - becoming the first person ever to walk a distance of 570 kilometres through the Namib Desert, completely solo and unsupported. Renowned for its shipwrecks, brown hyenas, jackals, side-winders and seals, the Skeleton Coast is also infamous for its harsh, unfriendly terrain and extreme climate. Grobler embarked on her record-breaking feat to raise funds for the National Institute for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing College in Worcester. She dubbed her expedition "Silent Steps" in recognition of the challenges faced by the deaf and hard of hearing in their daily lives.

“I was born asthmatic and still have severe asthma to this day. I was told I’ll never be able to do any exercise as this exacerbates asthma. I was 8 years old when I decided it won’t influence the rest of my life. I’ll rather battle doing it than not doing exercise at all.”

It’s this hard-won resolve and sense of authenticity about Grobler that seems to speak to the students she guides and mentors. “My message to the students is really simple - I’m not the product of my past but the creator of my future. Once you realise this, and I’m always telling them this – YOU design your own future. I’ve seen students so vulnerable and hungry absorb this philosophy and go on to achieve incredible things.”

Responding to the recent student protests at CPUT, Grobler is philosophical. “Most of the students I deal with are wise young adults and again - one just has to re-affirm that one’s past is history, it’s nothing unless I give it power. The future is yours to shape.”

Grobler is tremendously grateful to Dean of Student Affairs Cora Motale and HOD of Student Affairs, Sibusiso Chalufu for their support. She’s also expressed thanks to CPUT’s Engineering Department, especially Tap van der Schyff for allowing staff member Mark Jenkins to build her rickshaw. Without the rickshaw, Grobler’s journey would have been next to impossible.

By Jan Weintrob.

If you would like to support the cause, SMS lines are still open. Please sms the letters "NID" to 31243. Each sms costs R10 and all proceeds go to the National Institute for the Deaf. The person who sends the most sms's will stand a chance to win a Dell Notebook to the value of R8000.

Written by CPUT News
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Renowned for its ship-wrecks, brown hyenas, jackals, side-winders and seals, the Skeleton Coast is infamous for its harsh, unfriendly terrain and extreme climate. It’s an area rarely frequented by even the most experienced vehicle-bound adventurers, but CPUT’s Anette Grobler from the Department of Student Affairs begins her month-long solo quest to walk the coastline this weekend - all in aid of a good cause.

In 2005, Grobler made history by being the first person to walk the entire length of the inhospitable Northern Namib Desert coastline in Angola in a 330km solo journey called “Walk for Wheels”. This feat was undertaken to raise money for landmine victims in war-torn Angola. Anette is now taking on an even greater challenge by attempting to walk the entire length of the Skeleton Coast National Park in Namibia, a solo journey of 500km, without any help.

This expedition will be undertaken in order to raise funds and awareness for the National Institute for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing College in Worcester (the NID College). The expedition is called “Silent Steps” in recognition of the challenges faced by the deaf and hard of hearing in their daily lives. The NID College is the only Occupational Skills Program Training College for deaf and hard of hearing children on the entire African continent. The money raised from the Silent Steps expedition will be used to develop sport facilities for all 102 students at the NID College and help obtain other much-needed items.

The route starts at Ugab, the most southerly gate of the Skeleton Coast National Park in Namibia. Anette will have to push through some of the most inhospitable and desolate terrain known to humankind - “The Land God made in Anger”, as the San people call it. Anette aims to complete her mission in approximately 30 days, averaging around 18-20km per day, during the period between 26 March and 25 April this year.

Anette will have all she needs to survive including a rickshaw developed by CPUT’s very own Engineering department, satellite phone, medical supplies and a water desalination device to turn sea water into drinkable water.

Anette is hoping to serve as an inspiration to all that there is no reason to sit back and do nothing. If you would like to support the cause and Anette in her incredible expedition then please sms the letters “NID” to 31243. Each sms costs R10 and all proceeds go to the NID. The person who sends the most sms’s will stand a chance to win a Dell Notebook to the value of R8000.  “Imagine if 23 000 students and staff send an sms, for R230 000 we can build the NID College a skills centre!” says Anette. You can follow Anette via her Silent Steps Facebook Group. We at CPUT wish her luck on her adventure for the greater good.

by: Danielle Rall

Edited by Jan Weintrob

Written by CPUT News
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A group of inspirational CPUT students with a passion for the environment and maintaining Cape Town's status as one of the world's most beautiful cities appeared on national television this week. Mentored by Anette Grobler from the Department of Student Affairs, the Green Team’s mission is to focus on environmental clean-ups and keeping the city's beaches spotless. Their back-breaking labour earned them an insert on the educational programme YoTV after the producer of the renowned TV show logged on to the CPUT Facebook page and saw some of the team’s impressive work.

Twice a month, about 85 students sacrifice their weekends to turn previously rubbish-strewn areas into spotless, attractive and livable spaces. Using black bags, gloves, brooms, and a whole lot of elbow-grease, they pick up all the litter they possibly can, and with the help of a CPUT bakkie, dump bag-loads of refuse and rubbish at a waste disposal site.

Grobler says she is extremely proud of the whole team: “The students don’t get paid a cent, but still arrive every second Saturday to do their bit for the environment. There’s a lot of effort going into this campaign and their willingness and can-do spirit is just amazing.”

The Chairperson of the Green Team, Anita Sikutshwa, decides where they clean up, but they only work in Cape Town and within a 50 km radius outside the inner city. She says team spirit is very high on their priority list: “We have a lot of enthusiasm regarding the protection of the environment. We also have a lot of fun together and there is a strong feeling of unity in the group. It’s shameful to see the dirt around our beaches. It’s amazing how much people pollute and then just don't care about the environment. After cleaning, we feel proud because we have made a difference. “

Grobler adds that at the moment, the work of the Green Team is completely unsponsored. “Nedbank is looking into it and there might be a possibility that they sponsor this campaign, because they are a green bank. Red Bull currently gives us a few drinks and I’m making sandwiches, just for the students to eat whilst they’re busy working.” According to Grobler sponsorship would go a long way in bolstering the efforts and pride of the already committed students.

Grobler herself will be hitting the headlines soon as she aims to become the first person to walk the Skeleton Coast of Namibia completely solo and unsupported. During this expedition, which is a fundraising exercise for deaf and hard-of-hearing adults at the National Institute for the Deaf College, Grobler will have no transport whatsoever, taking all she needs to survive on her back and on her sled. Grobler leaves for Windhoek on the 22nd of March in her quest to make history. In 2005, she became the first person ever to walk the Angolan desert coastline without any support or backup team and has also climbed Kilimanjaro.

Membership of the Green Team is growing substantially and all students who want to help keep Cape Town green can contact Grobler at 021 460 3499 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Bellville campus students can call Lindelwa Gayiza at 021 959 6335 or email her at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.By: Mariette Adams

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CPUT puts a high premium on the wellness of both staff members and students.

Hundreds of students sampled the range of programmes offered by the Directorate of Student Affairs and Services during the recent Holistic Wellness Day on the District Six Campus.

They took part in demonstrations such as Martial Arts and Zumba dances presented by Virgin Active as well as played games such as mechanical bull riding and boxing in a jumping castle. Healthy and affordable eating/cooking were also demonstrated.

Student Development Officer Anette Grobler said the purpose of the event was to inform students about the different services freely available to them such as the Clinic, Student Counselling, Student Development, Sport, HIV/Aids Unit and the Disability Unit.

“I am happy about the students’ turnout at this event,” said Grobler.

Acting Head of Department: Student Health, Andries Slinger, said his department was affirming their commitment to provide a professional, high quality healthcare service.

“The aim is to contribute to the health and wellness of our students in a student-centred approach moving to one smart CPUT,” said Slinger.

The affected departments and units ran stalls which displayed the services they offer and conducted BMI and HIV testing. Other stalls offered information on social, spiritual, occupational, intellectual, emotional, physical and environmental wellness. The Green Campus Initiative attended to the latter while a number of religious structures provided assistance on spiritual wellness.

Good Hope FM’s DJs TwinzSpin ensured members of the audience put their dancing shoes to good use with trendy mixes. Established in 2010, the Cape Town duo are 23 year-old identical twins, Jade and Shad Isaacs.

District Six Campus Local SRC chairperson, Tumiso Mfisa, said the SRC support the services provided by the Student Affairs and Services Directorate and encouraged students to participate in the various department’s programmes so that they can benefit from the services rendered.

Written by Kwanele Butana
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On 23 May 2009 CPUT student environmental group, The Green Team, took on the task on cleaning the Springfontein beach in Atlantis.

The beach clean-up project was initiated when Student Development Officer Anette Grobler and Green Team Chair Lindelwa Gayiza received pictures of the state of Springfontein beach from a concerned CPUT staff member.

The beach is not easily accessible on foot and is therefore seldom cleaned. Beach pollution has resulted from years of accumulated waste from passing ships.

“We are thus not doing the clean-up from an aesthetic point of view, but rather because the accumulating rubble poses a danger to our environment,” said Grobler.

An awe-inspiring response of just over 60 students, 11 staff members, young children and families, exceeded the expectations of the team. “Everyone was motivated and we certainly feel like we’ve achieved the goal set-out for this project,” she said.

With the beach described as looking very bad and the volunteers finding things they never thought they would find on a beach, it was no surprise that the team was able to fill all its black-bags.

The Green Team urges that students become more environmentally aware and that they do their bit for the environment by condemning the misuse of facilities and resources.

“We are asking for like-minded CPUT students to come forward with suggestions regarding working, sustainable projects and ideas regarding recycling, reducing the use of paper, saving electricity, saving water, a stop littering campaign and getting students to cycle to the CPUT instead of using their cars or taxis,” said Grobler.

The long-term dream of the Green Team is to help CPUT become the first green university in South Africa.

Later this month, members of the team will be attending a Coral workshop in Mozambique.

By Raa-iqah Isaacs

Photo: Student Development Officer Anette Grobler (left) and the rest of the Green Team celebrate a successful Beach Clean-up.

Written by CPUT News
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Motivated to “live life to the fullest”, Student Development Officer, Anette Grobler has made headline news for taking on world first solo adventures to summiting some of the world’s highest mountains.

Her most renowned adventure saw Grobler become the first person to walk the entire Skeleton Coast Park (570 km) in Namibia solo. This area is known for its inhospitable and desolate terrain, as well as extreme climate.

Grobler completed the mission in approximately 30 days, all while pulling a rickshaw developed by CPUT’s Engineering Department that contained her satellite phone and various supplies needed for her journey.

Grobler gave CPUT news some insight into some of her amazing adventures.

You are the first person in history to walk the entire Skeleton Coast Park (570 km) in Namibia solo and unsupported. What motivated you to take on this challenge?

For some or other reason I started a bucket list when I was only 14 years old. I can remember that I listed 10 things I felt that I needed to do in my lifetime. I cannot recall everything on the list, but I do remember that one of them was “to do something that has never been done before”. 

How did it feel to be alone during this period?

Yes, I was alone. The longest days were the days I could not walk whilst the tides were not in my favor. I could only walk during low tides and that needed to be during the day. At night there are too many wild animals that are out hunting.

It is amazing how you start talking to yourself - out loud. It is almost an attempt to stay sane because if you say something, you need to put the words together and form them properly in order for it to make sense and making sense of something is still part of being sane!

Where you scared?

Yes, I was scared of the desert lions - about 38 of them in that area. Five of the rivers that I needed to cross were in flood for the first time in 20 years and I was warned about the quick sand.

So, my two biggest fears, namely being buried alive or eaten alive, became very real the minute I entered the Skeleton Coast National Park.

What was the highlight of this solo walk?

The day before I completed the 570 km, the wind dropped for the first time in 26 days. I was able to swim in the sea and wash for the first time in days!  

This was not your first solo adventure. Where and when did you complete your first solo walk?

I walked the coastal desert of Angola in 2005, starting from the mouth of the Kunene river continuing north to a place called Namibe (the old Mocamedes).

Apart from the solo walks, you also climbed some of the world’s highest mountains. Which ones did you summit?

I summited Kilimanjaro in Tanzania and Mount Elbrus in Russia (with an CPUT Alumni Sam Ramohlola  who “paid it forward” and actually sponsored me to climb Mt Elbrus with him). 

We also continued to climb Mount Aconcagua in South America but none of us managed to summit as the weather turned against us on the summit night.  

What motivates you to take on all these adventures?

Many years ago I got lost in the Namib desert during a solo adventure race. When I eventually managed to find my way back to civilization, I promised myself that I will live life to the fullest because I had a new appreciation for the most wonderful thing called “life”.

When one takes something for granted, you don’t appreciate it that much. So now, the closer I am to nature, danger and death, the more alive I feel!

Written by Candes Keating
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Provides coverage for the Engineering and Applied Sciences Faculties; the Bellville and Wellington Campuses, and research and innovation news.

CPUT students were recognised for their commitment and dedication to a pilot sailing project which aims to transform the sport.

The sailing programme was held at the Royal Cape Yacht Club over five weeks and the students were commended for their outstanding attendance which averaged close to 100%. The project was made possible by SA Sailing Western Cape (SASWC), the Western Cape Department of Cultural Affairs, the Sailing Academy, the Royal Cape Yacht club and CPUT’s Department of Student Affairs.

“The result was that development and transformation took place automatically and furthermore, life skills were transferred whilst having fun,” says Bev le Sueur, SASWC’s Acting Chairperson. 
“What an inspiration and incredible story for these 14 CPUT sailors who five weeks ago had no knowledge of sailing but eagerly competed in not only the Portugal Day Race on 10 June 2017 but also the Youth Regatta two weeks later.”

Le Sueur added that history had been made, new life-long relationships formed and life skills earned through the project. Students obtained skills such as diversity management, teamwork, discipline, commitment, communication, time management and dealing with stressful situations.
“Our sailing family has grown and is being enriched by energy and passion for the sport of sailing and fun was had by all,” says Le Sueur.

Student Development Officer Anette Grobler says the students obtained valuable life skills.
“For the students, it was about acquiring a skill that might ultimately result in them being employed in the sailing fraternity.” 

Written by Kwanele Butana
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The Department of Student Affairs (DSA) has introduced a Learn to Sail programme, which equips students with a set of life skills while enjoying sailing.

Students learn skills such as diversity management as everyone on the boat is equal, the importance of teamwork, discipline, commitment, communication, time management and dealing with stressful situations from the programme for free.

“Your needs and desires are secondary to those of the group - as a group you have to navigate the boat to safety regardless of the weather or swell of the dunes,” says Student Development Officer Anette Grobler.    

The programme, which is made possible by SA Sailing Western Cape, Western Cape Department of Cultural Affairs, the Sailing Academy, the Royal Cape Yacht club and DSA, started recently at the Royal Cape Yacht club with 18 students from all CPUT campuses.

It will continue until October and will resume in January next year and each programme lasts for five weeks.

Training takes place on Sundays.

“Currently, CPUT is the only university that offers this programme to its students,” adds Grobler.

In order to take part in the programme students must be able to swim. If not, they will still be trained in the art of sailing, but their training will mostly be focussed on the important role a person working on the “bridge” plays.  

Later this year, part of this programme will also include a “Learn to Swim” phase.

Students must attend at least four of the five Sunday sessions in order to receive a certificate at the programme’s graduation ceremony.

Students are transported to the yacht club and the bus from Cape Town campus will depart from the Admin Building at 09:30, while on the Bellville campus it will depart at 09:00 from the parking area in front of the New Library building.

Written by Kwanele Butana
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Alumnus Daluxolo Xusha, who stars in an upcoming drama series on SABC2, says his experience as a CPUT student prepared him for his acting career.  

Dalu, as he is popularly known, graduated with a National Diploma in Consumer Science: Food and Nutrition last year and is currently finishing the shoot for the new drama, Signal Hill.

The 13 week-long series is a teen drama set in a Cape Town Model C School populated by children whose parents are in the LSM Group 5-8. The population is diverse and for the most part the students conform to school rules and regulations.

“I wouldn't be where I am today without the preparation and training I received from CPUT Arts Society,” says the tenacious actor. “The Society has prepared me for this role by giving us opportunities to perform around CPUT campuses as well as on big stages such as the National Arts Festival and the Cultural Week Festival at the Namibia University of Science and Technology.”

He expressed his gratitude for the consistent support he enjoyed from Student Development Officers Marysa Leukes and Anette Grobler with whom he worked during his time at the Society as well as when he was the chairperson of the CPUT Green Campus Initiative, a student society which promotes environmental care.

In Signal Hill Dalu plays Zachariah Thafeni who is called "Zakes" by his peers.

”Zakes is a young man who is loved by everyone at school and he follows my real name (Daluxolo) as he is the peace-maker between his friends Winnie and Amanda. But he has one big secret that no one knows about until one of his friends calls him out on it, something which ends up changing his life at school.”

Signal Hill starts airing from the 29 June at 17:00 on SABC 2 every Friday at the same time for 13 weeks.

Dalu will also be starring in two upcoming tv series later this year.

Written by Kwanele Butana
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Do you want to surf the waves, save the environment or summit a mountain, then CPUT’s Department of Student Affairs can help you. The department offers a wide range of sporting and cultural activities.

Sports

From athletics to judo and chess, students have access to more than 20 competitive sporting codes, with each boasting an excellent performance record. CPUT students annually participate in national and international events, with some having competed against the world’s top sports people at the Olympic and Commonwealth Games. This February CPUT’s rugby team will make their debut in the Varsity Shield.

• To view the list of sporting codes see: http://www.cput.ac.za/student/sport/
• For those who just want to have fun, there are various recreational sport codes offered at CPUT.

For more information contact:

Cape Town Campus
Railien Neilson
Tel: +27 21 460 3844 / This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Wellington Campus
Bulelani Mlakalaka
Tel: +27 21 864 5247/ This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Bellville Campus
Shela Lekalakala
Tel: +27 21 959 6377/ This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Student Development

In addition to academic skills, CPUT is focused on developing well-rounded graduates. To reach this goal, the university offers a range of programmes, events, activities and clubs that are aimed a developing responsible and compassionate citizens who are equipped with important skills such as leadership and teamwork. Some of the activities include:

• Environmental awareness activities
• Community outreach programmes
• Adventure-related experiential learning, e.g. hikes

For more information contact:

Anette Grobler
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Melani-Ann Hara
Tel: +27 21 959 6010 /This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

For an overview of the various activities, see: http://www.cput.ac.za/students/life/development

Written by Candes Keating
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Provides coverage for the Engineering and Applied Sciences Faculties; the Bellville and Wellington Campuses, and research and innovation news.