Learners from three Cape Town schools had a ball when CPUT and the Parliament Squash Club joined forces to teach them basic squash skills in celebration of Mandela Day.

The theme for the event, which was held at the CPUT Sports Centre on the Cape Town campus, was "Parliament Squash and CPUT Celebrating Mandela Through Action."

Learners from Holy Cross, Good Hope and Intshayelelo primary schools participated in the event.

The objective was to familiarise the learners with the game of squash as it supports physical and mental fitness. Forbes magazine has rated squash as one of the healthiest sporting codes to be active in.

“You are our VVIP’s (very, very important people). Tata Madiba used to love to spend time with kids,” Kholekile Gorata, chairman of the Parliament Squash Club, told the learners.

CPUT Sport Development Officer, Quinton Summers says the university was privileged to be part of this celebration.

Before participating in a squash demonstration and clinic, the pupils received a motivational talk from top professional squash player, Siyoli Waters.

Mandela Day is celebrated on July 18, (Mandela’s birthday) every year and commemorates the lifetime of service the late Nelson Mandela gave to South Africa and the world.

The Mandela Day campaign encourages South Africans to spend 67 minutes to support a charity or serve in their local community. The 67 minutes symbolically represent the number of years the former President fought for human rights and the abolition of apartheid.

CPUT’s official Mandela Day activity will take place at the old Horticulture Building at the Cape Town campus. Staff, students and members of the public are invited to help clean the site in preparation for its eventual restoration.

Written by Ilse Fredericks
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With an immense mission to stimulate golf penchant amongst the CPUT community, the Sport Department held a Staff and Student Golf Day at the Bellville Golf Course recently.

Sport Development Officer, Quinton Summers said there was a significant focus in this event as, “We tried to create an opportunity for staff and students to exchange ideas and fellowship in a relaxed outdoor environment which has been lacking in recent times due to Covid-19.” In a day blessed with perfect weather for golf, sunny with a light breeze for 40 participants, consisting of 16 students and 24 staff members and all teams were able to tee off on time.

They all went through the holes nicely with some great shots on display. There was a stop at the halfway house where the teams were able to have lunch and interact a little before kicking off the second half of the day.  The teams then assembled at the clubhouse for networking and a prize giving session.

“It was overall a very well-planned and joyful day,” said Mvuyisi Sigila a Sports Development Officer.

Summers said: We look to unearth the golf talent amongst our students and thereby create a data base of students who can be called upon for future golf events,” he continued.

“At this moment we are looking at growing an interest in golf. Next year we are hoping to have at least two students-only golf days and one corporate golf day which would serve as a fund-raising event.”

The department is striving to see more students to come on board and show an interest in future student golf days. All staff members should be alert for the corporate golf day which would be an opportunity for the Institution’s business partners to invest financially in the future of emerging CPUT students. “The day was enjoyed by the participants and organisers who, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, have not inter-acted on a social level in the workspace for nearly two years,” Summers remarked.

Written by Aphiwe Boyce
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Many individuals perceive pool as just a recreational game – something one plays at a bar or in the man cave. However, to members of CPUT’s supa-pool teams, it’s more than just leisure. It’s a competitive sport where they can test their skills against opponents from other universities nationwide.

CPUT supa-pool men’s team recently took first place overall in the 2024 USSA National Institutional Supa-Pool Championships. CPUT recently hosted the 2024 USSA Supa-pool Championships at the Western Cape Ultimate Pool Centre, Bellville.

Sport Development Officer, Quinton Summers, who was the chairperson of the Local Organising Committee, said the venue was “a positive new addition to this event”. “Hosting the event off-campus at a community venue meant that USSA supa-pool was exposed to the community more than it would have been.”

There were six participating universities: CPUT, Sefako Makgatho University, the University of the Western Cape (UWC), the University of Limpopo, Rhodes University, and the University of Fort Hare, and each university brought two men’s teams and a female team for the five-day tournament. Summers said: “The competition was exciting, on each day the excitement in the venue could be felt.” The men’s team won the men’s section by beating UWC in the final. Unfortunately, the ladies did not make the knock-out stages but one of CPUT's players, Perseverance Mashilo was the best women’s player of the tournament.

Even though Perseverance did not make it to the knockout stages her scores in the round-robin part of the event were the best. This earned her the award. The CPUT Supa-Pool team Manager, Ricardo Geduld, and Coach, Beauren Simon worked tirelessly behind the scenes to earn the team the success and the respect they deserve at the USSA level.

The overall Women's Individual winner – Shanice Van Vuuren (UWC), made the knockout stages and won the final. Summers clarified that the scores in the knockout stages don't impact the points scored leading up to that stage of the tournament. The UWC was the winner of the women’s section. The Player of the Tournament, (men) was Kevin Martin, meanwhile, the overall team of the tournament was the University of Limpopo.

Written by Aphiwe Boyce
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