Cape Peninsula University of Technology

Ten tries against Rhodes University scored FNB CPUT a win during their second match of the Varsity Shield tournament.  

Not even Gauteng lightening could stop the defending the Varsity Shield’s champions from defeating FNB Rhodes University at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium as they won 68 against eight.  

The boys were rampant in their set play as the Rhodents just could not match their physicality or rush defence and they often found themselves losing the ball recklessly.

FNB CPUT was leading with 21 points against eight at half-time after scoring three

 tries, thanks to a brace by centre Bjorkan Hendricks and lock Joshua Paris. Flyhalf Imibongo Mgijima converted all the treis.

Overall CPUT tries were scored by Björkan Hendricks (2), Joshua Paris, Onika Mgijima, Hughwan Engelbrecht, Phumlani Mkhaliphi, Asisipho Malotana (2) and Imibongo Vabaza, Butsha Mputa.

Imibongo successfully converted nine tries and deservedly was voted the FNB Player that Rocks.

Ten tries against Rhodes University scored FNB CPUT a win during their second match of the Varsity Shield tournament.  

Not even Gauteng lightening could stop the defending the Varsity Shield’s champions from defeating FNB Rhodes University at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium as they won 68 against eight.  

The boys were rampant in their set play as the Rhodents just could not match their physicality or rush defence and they often found themselves losing the ball recklessly.

FNB CPUT was leading with 21 points against eight at half-time after scoring three

 tries, thanks to a brace by centre Bjorkan Hendricks and lock Joshua Paris. Flyhalf Imibongo Mgijima converted all the tries.

Overall CPUT tries were scored by Björkan Hendricks (2), Joshua Paris, Onika Mgijima, Hughwan Engelbrecht, Phumlani Mkhaliphi, Asisipho Malotana (2) and Imibongo Vabaza, Butsha Mputa.

Imibongo successfully converted nine tries and deservedly was voted the FNB Player that Rocks.

Resting on the historic slopes of District Six, the former Cape Town Campus was renamed to the District Six (D6) Campus and is located close to the city’s most notable landmark, the Table Mountain. 

The campus is home to the Faculty of Business and Management, the largest faculty at CPUT, and the Faculty of Informatics and Design. Various courses from the Faculties of Applied Sciences a well as Health and Wellness Sciences are also offered here.

The campus boasts state-of-the-art academic facilities such as a library, computer labs and a branch of the Disability Unit. A stone's throw away from the campus is the Centre for E-Learning.

Student gatherings and entertainment events hosted by the Department of Student Affairs are held in the amphitheater. There is also a large Student Centre which offers staff and students various places to sit and eat.

Visitors’ and student parking is available while staff members must register for paid open and undercover parking annually. Those using public transport have the benefit of using the MyCiti service which has a bus stop right on the campus' doorstep..

Apart from the six main campuses in Bellville, Cape Town, Wellington, Mowbray, Athlone and Granger Bay, CPUT also has a number of satellite campuses across the city.

These include Tygerberg Hospital, Groote Schuur, the Media City building on the Foreshore and Roeland Street, which is a few minutes from the D6 Campus.

Media City houses the Architecture and Interior Design schools while Tygerberg Hospital hosts Dental Technology and Emergency Medical Care students.

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The Radiography Department is the only one located at the Groote Schuur satellite campus and Roeland Street houses the Media School which includes Journalism, Photography, Public Relations and Multimedia.

The CPUT men’s rugby team thumped the University of Fort Hare in the opening round of this year’s FNB Varsity Shield at Loftus Versfeld Stadium.

FNB CPUT’s 36 – 20 victory was hard-fought as the team survived a red card in the first half when centre Jurick Lewis was fingered for dangerous play, followed by two yellow cards in the second half.

The 2019 Shield champions made a perfect start to the match when they charged down an FNB UFH clearance kick and the ball landed on eighthman Sesona Macala who scored just after 20 seconds into the match.

The opposition later hit back with a try of their own.

FNB CPUT grabbed their second try through centre Lunathi Nxele, who ripped through the FNB UFH’s defence at supersonic speed following a successful scrum in the opposition’s half. After scoring, the former captain, who led CPUT to its last Shield championship, ran to the empty stands to take a seat and applauded the try.   

Once again, flyhalf Feghon-Leigh Snyders converted the try.

Following a 40m penalty slotted by the opposition, FNB CPUT winger Nathan Nkutu put captain Butsha Mputa away for a try under the posts, which was successfully converted by Feghon-Leigh before adding a penalty to make it 24-10 at half-time.

In the second half, the former captain scored another try while Nathan scored FNB CPUT’s last try to seal the game 36 - 20 after fulltime. Nathan was voted the FNB Player That Rocks.  

The CPUT men’s rugby team received their kit for the 2021 Varsity Shield tournament at a handover ceremony on Friday.

Prior to handing over the kit to the boys, Vice-Chancellor, Prof Chris Nhlapo, said the team represents CPUT exceptionalism. Nhlapo added that if the team kept up the standard that made them win the Shield in 2019 they would go to this year’s in Pretoria to show their opponents flames.

“I want to see you playing in the Varsity Cup next year, you possess some of the best skills, you are the best of the best.”

He assured the team that the university’s management fully supports the team and that he wants them to bring the trophy home.

Jerome Paarwater, Western Province Rugby Union’s High-Performance Manager, thanked the team for inviting him to their training sessions. Paarwater said his initial involvement with CPUT was when Sport Development Officer, Bulelani Mlakalaka, invited him to help the university with its selection of coaches.

“I was involved with UWC (University of the Western Cape) and helped them to win the Varsity Shield and they moved to the Varsity Cup,” he said.

He added that now he works with young talent and that he was instrumental in grooming most of the Stormers players.

“There are lot of opportunities for you if you do well in this tournament,” Paarwater said.

He encouraged the boys to have respect and be accountable for their actions. Paarwater also warned the players that the tournament will be tough but that they should not disappoint CPUT and their parents.

The team’s captain, Butsha Mputa said he joined the team in 2016 and started as a benchwarmer but when he made the starting 15 in June of that year, he made the number six jersey his own.

Butsha added that he plays with pride and that he has won the University Sports South Africa tournament as well as the Varsity Shield with the team. “I want to make history again,” he enthused.

The team’s coach, Alastair Theys said there was panic when the team started the training ten weeks ago but after the technical team presented its plan to the players their confidence started rising.

“The boys are ready for the tournament,” Theys assured the university. He urged the boys to make decisions that will make CPUT proud and thanked the university for creating the platform for the boys. “Well done for the hard work you put in training,” he congratulated the boys.     

This year’s tournament will be played in a bio-bubble in Tshwane from 12 April to 9 May and FNB CPUT will face off with FNB UFH (University of Fort Hare) today at Loftus Versfeld Stadium at 19H00. The match will be broadcast live on DSTV Channel 211.

One of CPUT’s core values is ubuntu, and the drive to supply food to needy students attests to this.

Last year the university established a Task Team under the ambit of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Operations, Prof Gilingwe Mayende, to develop a sustainable food security programme for the institution. The team has recently tabled a draft report during an Executive Management (EM) meeting for approval.

“The current initiatives have been on an adhoc basis with the Dean of Students’ office issuing vouchers after doing a due diligence, on a once-off basis to students in dire need,” says Tulani Nkuntse, Deputy Dean of Students.

Nkuntse adds that other similar efforts have been from individual staff members and that the Department of Student Affairs has also been assisting with food parcels, an operation which was facilitated by the HIV/AIDS Unit.

He says that needy students are identified using a “referral system”. “Most of the students are referred to us by lecturers, health practitioners from our clinic and from our counselling department. Our Residence Coordinators have also been instrumental in bringing these cases to our attention.”

After receiving the student’s name, due diligence is conducted and based on the outcome the student gets assisted, he confirms.

The draft report, which was tabled in front of the university management, entails the proposed plan on how the university will sustain rendering the support of this nature to students. “What I can say at this stage is that the principles on which the proposed model is based are underpinned by social justice, human rights and dignity,” adds Nkuntse.

Mayende says that EM expressed its general appreciation for the work done by the Task Team and that they made certain suggestions on how to “firm up” certain aspects of the model presented in the report. 

“A key suggestion that has been made is to ensure that the programme is brought into the ambit of the Second Stream Income Committee and to utilise institutional arrangements to support fundraising efforts that are already  in place at CPUT,” he adds.

In the past, about 400 needy students at CPUT residences have benefitted from food parcels, thanks to a collaborative project between the university management, residence managers and Residence Student Assistants.