O-week off to a sizzling start

Choice made: Winner of HAICU's condom fashion show, Phathiswa Magangane (left), and runner-up Khanyisile Masango.

UCT orientation headed down the homestretch with O-Week kicking off on Monday with the plaza baraza, and a whole string of side events.

Despite the mercury pushing unbearable, there was a pool of cool societies and clubs strutting their stuff to potential new members. With many of the more than 80 societies on show, students were spoilt for choice - on offer was everything from tabletop gaming, politics and worship to wakeboarding and gymnastics.

Also part of the day's line-up was the condom fashion show staged by the UCT HIV/AIDS Institutional Co-ordination Unit (HAICU), in partnership this year with online magazine Vintage Lifestyle, to create awareness around HIV/AIDS.

"It is an important start to the year to get students thinking about prevention messages and making responsible decisions," said HAICU project officer, Lucina Reddy.

With Craig de Sousa spinning the decks and MC DJ Suga spurring on the crowd, student teams created stylish yet edgy outfits with condoms as the main accessory. Second-year history and law student Phathiswa Magangane walked away with Cavendish Square vouchers for her winning couture and will be featured in the coming addition of Vintage Lifestyle. The runner-up was final-year BCom student Khanyisile Masango.

Jumper: BSc student Kate Hawkridge from UCT Gymnastics makes a backflip look easy-peasy.

A new addition to O-week is the SRC 100Plus sports tournament. Taking place at the Sport Centre and the adjacent Green Mile (rugby fields), greenhorns got a taste of some sports on offer at UCT.

The two-day social event is organised by the Students' Representative Council and led by sport and recreation co-ordinator Lorne Hallendorf, and sponsored by energy drinks company 100Plus. First-years, new undergrads and international students could try their hand at a range of martial arts, as well as football, gymnastics, netball and volleyball, among other codes.