WHEN thousands flood into the city centre next month for the upcoming Cape Town Carnival, a handful of CPUT staff and students will be working hard behind the scenes.

Apart from designing many of the spectacular outfits that will be on show on the day, students have also been working diligently and documenting every aspect of the annual street party.

This week, Photography and Film and Video students captured every moment of the event’s official media launch while Public Relations staff and students made sure the party was a slick affair.

BEHIND THE SCENES: Film and Video students capturing the event’s media launch.

Hosted by Heart FM’s Clarence Ford, a variety of performers like bellydancers and rope-skipping champions got the crowd revved up.

But it was the outlandish costumes, all designed around the theme ‘From Cape to Cairo’ which really got the audience excited.

CPUT students were honoured last year when Cape Town Fashion Council’s Bryan Ramkilawan gave them the opportunity of designing a handful of costumes for the parade.

Students were also awarded a cash prize which is paid into their student fees.

On Wednesday, Minister for Finance, Economic Affairs and Tourism, Alan Winde, told the crowd of journalists they should be proud of the Carnival and what it represents.

“Showcasing this event tells the world who we are and what we are about. Lets give everyone a big surprise,” he says.

Cape Town Carnival happens on March 24 and travels along the fan walk in Greenpoint from 8pm.

By LAUREN KANSLEY

Written by CPUT News
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CPUT staff and students have once again made a valuable contribution to the success of the annual Jazz on the Rocks Festival, which was held at the Cape Columbine Nature Reserve on the West Coast.

The festival not only boosts tourism to the Paternoster area but also helps to empower young people through skills development.
Last year CPUT’s Town and Regional Planning and Architecture Department joined forces with Camissa Solutions to train youngsters from the area in mapping skills and the project was extended this year.

Jacqui Scheepers, manager of Service-Learning and Civic Engagement Unit at CPUT, says that this year staff and students from the Faculties of Informatics and Design and Health and Wellness Sciences worked hand in hand with Camissa Solutions.

Town and Regional Planning students trained local youth in the art of map reading. which they would use to assist guests find their plots during the festival, while Emergency Medical Care students worked in shifts to support the medical teams on site.

“Together with the Service-Learning Unit, lecturers like Nicholas Pinfold (Department of Town and Regional Planning), Navindhra Naidoo, Llizane Mcdonald and Daglin Thomas (Department of Emergency Medical Sciences) were instrumental in the launch, coordination and implementation of the project on site before and during the festival. In partnership with Camissa Solutions, the next phase will include follow up training sessions with unemployed West Coast youth.”

She said the students did CPUT proud with their professional attitude and theoretical knowledge of their disciplines. Clarence Ford from Camissa Solutions looks forward to a continued fruitful relationship with CPUT.

“Together with CPUT we are building communities.”

Dale Sparrow, a fourth-year EMS student says the project was a great experience for final year students to develop their managerial skills.

“Setting up a medical unit in the field is an important aspect for our future qualification,” he says.

Written by Ilse Fredericks
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