CPUT’s Table Tennis team is defending their title at the University Sports South Africa Tournament, which takes place this week.

The team, managed by Llweyln Le Kay scooped first place in last year’s tournament and are positive that they will once again bring home the gold.

“We have a very strong team this year,” says Le Kay.

Taking place at the National Institute of Higher Education in Kimberley, this year’s event has attracted some of South Africa best university table tennis players.

But the CPUT team is well prepared for the week-long event.

The team followed a stringent training programme during the past few weeks, which was overseen by coach and former CPUT table tennis team player, Rudwin Gertze.

Gertze says the team performed well during their recent league games and also in a number of friendly matches.

“I am sure that they will do well this year,” says Gertze.

Team member Kirshwan Stein, who has been playing table tennis for the past 11 years, says the team is looking forward to showing-off their skills at the tournament.

By Candes Keating

Written by CPUT News
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A love for the game of table tennis has clinched Genevieve Lentz a ticket to the London Olympic Games.

The part-time Btech Public Relations student is part of the Olympic table tennis umpire team.  

Lentz is currently the highest-ranking female table tennis umpire in Africa and the only one representing the African continent in London.

But the 31-year-old is no stranger to top international games and her umpiring abilities has taken her across the globe.

She has umpired games at the Beijing Paralympics in 2008 and the 1st Youth Olympics in Singapore, which was held in 2010. She has also been to the All African Games and participated in tournaments in Switzerland and Moscow.

Looking back at her sporting career, Lentz, who is a high school English teacher by day, says she never imagined her love for the sport would lead to such big things.

“I never had the potential of becoming a prominent player but enjoyed playing socially and being involved in administration. I acquired the passion for umpiring and completed a series of exams including league, provincial, national and eventually international.”

In 2011 Lentz qualified as a Blue Badge Umpire, a group regarded as elite umpires.

Although looking forward to the Olympics, Lentz says it’s a huge responsibility.

“I am nervous because the world’s eyes will be on me.”

By Candes Keating

Picture by Independent Newspapers

Written by CPUT News
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First-year film production student, Anande Kuse, continues to shine in the sport of table tennis.

She recently represented the Cape Town Table Tennis (CTTT) team at the SA Table Tennis championships, hosted by the South African Table Tennis Board in Durban.

CTTT came second, bagging a silver medal in the U/19 team events category, and made it to the group stages in the singles category.

“I’m so happy about the silver medal I received at nationals. I could not play last year when I was in Grade 12. I really worked hard and I’m very proud, “said Anande.

Earlier this year she was elected to represent SA at the International Table Tennis Federation African Youth, Junior and Cadet Championships.

CPUT Table Tennis coach Mfundo Marasi congratulated Anande and thanked the Student Affairs Division for their support.

“As CPUT Table Tennis, we're super proud of her achievements and for representing not only the province, but also our flying CPUT flag high at the national event. We hope the USSA Table Tennis summer games will take place this December 2022, where she'll continue to fly the CPUT flag sky high.”

Written by Ilse Fredericks
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CPUT Table Tennis coach, Mfundo Marasi, was recently elected as the chairperson of University Sports South Africa (USSA) Table Tennis.

Marasi, who hails from Ezibeleni, Komani, in the Eastern Cape, said he felt humbled and honoured to be nominated for the position and to be representing CPUT at national level.

“I won my first gold medal in 1999 at the SASSU (SA Student Sports Union) Games and ever since then I've been a coach/manager/mentor for CPUT Table Tennis on a voluntary basis until I was formally appointed last year.”

His role as USSA table tennis chairperson will be to lead and manage all table tennis activities at university level.

Marasi said the role would also include ensuring that the status of table tennis is elevated from being a recreational sport to being a competitive sport that produces champions to represent the country at national, continental and international level.

Furthermore, his role would be to assemble, manage and prepare a team that will represent South Africa at the World Student Games in 2023.

“Our role at university level is to nurture and develop table tennis to be a sport of choice and [for it to be] treated on the same level as popular sports like football, rugby, soccer and netball. My role is to develop a sport-orientated university community that shows interest in table tennis and balance their time wisely with their academic commitment. We encourage more women participation and involvement in the sport.”

He said strong bonds needed to be formed with local table tennis clubs and federations and good relationships had to be established with the South African Table Tennis Board (SATTB).

“Table Tennis is a great sport that helps and contributes to one's health. It should be played at school, at work, in churches and at all recreational facilities. Creating a healthy sporting nation, will help decrease the level of crime, take kids out of drugs, decrease the high teenage pregnancy rate and also helps kids at school with a healthy body and mind. Only then, academic excellency will be guaranteed.”

Marasi is a father of two daughters, Kamo and Uzuko and describes himself as a change agent.

“I’m a mentor, leader, an optimist by birth, a traditional healer, who is proud of his Xhosa culture. I'm a multi-talented child of God who plays and manages the following sports: rugby, football, athletics, hiking, table tennis and karate. I'm an international volunteer who prides himself about encouraging and promoting the spirit of giving back to my community without expectations.” He said he would give his all to his new role.

“Many thanks and appreciation to Mr Siyabulela Mkhwalo and Mr Mohamed Ally for their support thus far and ensuring CPUT management endorsed and supported my nomination He said he would give his best to represent my CPUT and serve all institutions with humility, pride and distinction.

Written by Ilse Fredericks
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