The Durban University of Technology (DUT) staff and students united to create lasting memories at the inaugural Vice-Chancellor’s Cup 2023, which was held on the Steve Biko Sports Field and at the Fred Crookes Sports Centre, on Steve Biko campus, on Saturday, 14 October 2023. Team Durban were the overall winners of the Vice-Chancellor’s Cup 2023 after a close win against Team Pietermaritzburg.
The aerobics, basketball, chess, e-sport, football, karate, netball and touch rugby first teams from the Durban-based DUT campuses competed against the first teams from the DUT Midlands campuses. The curtain raiser match was held between the Executive Management Committee team and the Labour Union representatives’ team.
Also spotted on the EMC team were the DUT Interim Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Teaching and Learning, Dr Azwitevhelwi Nevhutalu, Institutional Registrar, Dr Maditsane Nkonoane, Dean of Students, Dr Clement Moreku, DUT Midlands Campus Director: Dr Joe Molete, Executive Dean: Faculty of Applied Sciences, Prof Suren Singh, Executive Dean: Management Sciences, Professor Fulufhelo Netswera, Executive Dean: Accounting and Informatics, Prof Oludayo Olugbara, Short Course Unit: Director, Prof Surendra Thakur, Human Capital Services: Senior Director, Mr Mxolisi Msomi, Dr Katleho Moloi from the Department of Electrical Power Engineering, and Dr Zamokuhle Mbandlwa from the Department of Public Administration and Economics.
The prize giving ceremony was held at the Fred Crookes Sports Centre which culminated after all the games, the Dean of Students, Dr Clement Moreku began by introducing the DUT dignitaries present He thanked all the DUT students and staff for participating in the inaugural Vice-Chancellor’s Cup 2023 where he noted ‘sports as the overall winner’. He acknowledged the presence of the DUT Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Professor Thandwa Mthembu, the DUT Interim Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Teaching and Learning, Dr Azwitevhelwi Nevhutalu, Institutional Registrar, Dr Maditsane Nkonoane and all the executive management. Dr Moreku expressed his gratitude to the Sports Administration unit led by Mr Bongani Yengwa for the exciting, well-planned event.
Delivering the message of support, Prof Mthembu expressed his excitement after seeing the DUT staff and students coming together to participate in the various sports codes. He referred to the ENVISION2030 strategy, highlighting strategic objective number seven namely “Distinctive Education”. He mentioned that through this objective, DUT would become a university that has a distinctive education, where it would have created a compelling and future orientated living and learning environment.
“That strategic objective is very different from the one on innovative curricula and research, which is objective number six. The crafters of ENVISION2030 by way of strategic objective number seven, wanted to make sure that over and above issues of curricula and research, we create a learning and working environment that will make our lives and your lives holistically. That objective focuses on anything else around our curricula, whether it is supporting students to perform better. For example, we have a project called Siyaphumelela. Whether, it is about sports, arts, and culture, you would never be a holistic individual if all you have come to DUT to do is to just focus on curriculum and research,” said Prof Mthembu.
He encouraged the students to participate in other activities, such as sports offered at DUT while they are still young and capable. Prof Mthembu emphasised that life is tough out there and DUT does not want its students to find themselves having drugs and alcohol as their only choice. Going forward, Prof Mthembu indicated that he would like to see more of activities of this nature, such as sports, arts, culture and more that keeps the students busy fulfilling their lives rather than wasting their lives with many other choices that could be made available to them, rather than in drugs and alcohol.
Prof Mthembu congratulated all the winners despite his Executive Management team losing 2-1 to the Union Representatives’ team in an exhilarating soccer match. He assured the participants that his team will do better next year.
Announcing the winners was Qhawe Mncwabe from the DUT Sports Administration unit in the Midlands campus.
The winners were as follows:
Aerobics:
- Second place: Team Durban
- First place: Team Pietermaritzburg
Ladies Basketball:
- Second place: Team Durban
- First place: Team Pietermaritzburg
Men’s Basketball:
- Second place: Team Pietermaritzburg
- First place: Team Durban
Chess:
- Second place: Team Pietermaritzburg
- 1st place: Team Durban
E-sports:
- Second place: Team Pietermaritzburg
- First place: Team Durban
Karate:
- Second place: Team Durban
- First place: Team Pietermaritzburg
Netball:
- Second place: Team Pietermaritzburg
- First place: Team Durban
Ladies Rugby:
- Second place: Team Pietermaritzburg
- First place: Team Durban
Men’s Rugby:
- Second place: Team Durban
- First place: Team Pietermaritzburg
Ladies Football:
- Second place: Team Pietermaritzburg
- First place: Team Durban
Staff Football:
- Second place: Team Durban
- First place: Team Pietermaritzburg
Curtain raiser match: Executive Management Committee vs the Labour Union Representatives:
- Second place: Executive Management Committee
- First place: Labour Union Representatives
Men’s Football team:
- Second place: Team Durban
- First place: Team Pietermaritzburg
Team Durban were the overall winners of the Vice-Chancellor’s Cup 2023, and the prestigious cup was handed over to them by the DUT Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Prof Mthembu.
Pictured: Team Durban with the DUT Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Prof Thandwa Mthembu after they were announced as the overall winners of the DUT Vice-Chancellor’s Cup 2023.
Photographer: Khulasande Tshayile.
Simangele Zuma
