UCT stars power Team SA to CUCSA Games title defence

When Team South Africa travelled to Botswana for the 2026 Confederation of Universities and Colleges Sports Association (CUCSA) Games, one University of Cape Town (UCT) staff member carried the responsibility of ensuring that the country’s 171-member delegation could focus on one goal: winning.

That responsibility rested with Mark Bashe, deputy director of Sport and Recreation in the Department of Student Affairs, who was appointed Team South Africa’s chef de mission, the head of delegation responsible for overseeing every aspect of the national team’s campaign. Two other UCT staff members - Melissa Awu and Craig Zimri - were equally instrumental to team SA's victory. While Awu managed the gold-medal-winning athletics team, table tennis coach Craig Zimri guided the South African tennis team to another gold championship title.

Bashe's appointment proved to be a successful one. The team retained the CUCSA championship title after finishing with 29 gold medals. UCT’s five representatives also returned home with medals and trophies after making significant contributions both on and off the field.

“It was really a privilege for me to lead Team South Africa,” Bashe said. “Retaining the championship was a remarkable achievement. It reflected the strength, unity and commitment that students, coaches and officials from universities across South Africa brought to the games.”

Bashe was selected following a national recruitment process and had just over two weeks to prepare before the delegation departed for Botswana.

“Our responsibility was to make sure every athlete and official had the correct travel documentation, accreditation and everything needed before we crossed into Botswana,” he explained. “The athletes and coaches shouldn’t have to worry about accommodation, meals or logistics. They needed to focus on competing, and we made sure everything else was taken care of.”

The delegation comprised 171 members, including 131 student-athletes [two of them from UCT] and 40 coaches, administrators and officials from universities across the country.

Sport as a bridge

Beyond the sporting competition, Bashe believes the games demonstrated the power of sport to unite people across borders.

“We competed alongside teams from Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Lesotho and Eswatini. Throughout the tournament, there wasn’t a single incident that threatened Team South Africa. It showed how sport can bring people together, regardless of nationality, race or creed.”

“The mandate was very clear: come back with the trophy. We still managed to retain first place and bring the trophy home.”

South Africa entered the games as defending champions after winning the previous edition, hosted by Tshwane University of Technology in 2024. Although some of the country’s strongest sports codes were unavailable because of competing commitments, the delegation successfully defended the title.

“The mandate was very clear: come back with the trophy,” Bashe said. “We still managed to retain first place and bring the trophy home.”

While Bashe coordinated the overall campaign, Awu played a key role in one of the country’s most successful teams. The UCT sport coordinator managed the women’s athletics team that participated in the CUCSA Games.

Flying the national flag high

For Awu, representing South Africa is about more than medals.

“It is always an honour for me to represent my country. I once dreamed about such opportunities,” she said. “I am also a sport chaplain, providing pastoral support to athletes. So, it is always meaningful to be part of these events.”

Athletics enjoyed an exceptional championship, winning 26 medals – 13 gold, nine silver and four bronze – to successfully defend their title.

UCT students also excelled in the competition.

First-year physiotherapy student Basheerah Esmael helped South Africa’s women’s football team capture gold after a thrilling 2–1 victory over Zambia in the final, and student-athlete Sithokomele Nxumalo helped the women’s basketball team secure a silver medal.

Initially deployed as a left wing-back, Esmael took on a more attacking role as the tournament progressed and scored her first international goal.

“We managed to obtain gold in the final match in an exciting 2–1 victory,” Esmael said. “My highlights were scoring my first goal at the tournament and winning with an amazing group of players.”

She said one of the most memorable aspects of her first international competition was the friendships formed with fellow student-athletes from universities across South Africa.

“The CUCSA Games have demonstrated that UCT’s sporting excellence extends far beyond rugby.”

“The relationships I formed with other university students from all over South Africa really helped our team dynamic. For my first international competition, it was a memorable experience.”

For Bashe, the performances reinforced UCT’s growing reputation as a sporting institution.

“Over the past 18 months, UCT has become widely recognised as the ‘rugby university’, following our success in the Varsity Cup,” he said. “While we are immensely proud of those achievements, the CUCSA Games have demonstrated that UCT’s sporting excellence extends far beyond rugby.

“We are seeing student-athletes, coaches and administrators from a wide range of sporting codes performing at the highest level and making a significant contribution to various national teams. It is encouraging to see UCT’s reputation growing as a university that develops excellence across the entire sporting landscape, not just in one code.”