After a rigorous weeklong sports extravaganza in various parts of the country, the University of Johannesburg’s (UJ) sports clubs have achieved podium finishes between 29 June and 5 July 2024. UJ won a total of six medals (two gold, three silver and one bronze medals), having participated in five finals.
Both the UJ Basketball men’s and women’s teams reached the finals of the 3×3 championship held at the University of Pretoria. The men’s team won a gold medal while the ladies team won a silver medal.
At UJ, top South African university netball teams met at the UJ Netball Club courts in Westdene for compete for this year’s USSA championship title. Twenty-eight universities consisting of 50 female and male teams, played in the five-day thriller (1-5 July).
For the first time, the USSA Netball Championship included male netball teams. In this category, the UJ Males Team reached the final, finishing as runners-up after narrowly losing 44-41 to Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) Males.
Similarly, the Senior Women’s Netball Team (UJ1 team) also finished in second place after an entertaining final against UP-Tuks. This year’s women’s netball final was a repeat of the 2023 FNB Varsity Netball final in which the two teams locked horns in a highly competitive match with tight scores from the first to the last quarter. Only a single point separated the two at the umpire’s final whistle with a final 40-41 scoreline.
The hosts (UJ Netball Club) staged a successful USSA championship with sponsorships such as SPAR and Puma onboard. At the end of the USSA Netball Championship on home soil, UJ players and coaching staff were selected for the USSA national teams as follows:
- UJ Males – Dream Team: Bukhosi Ndlela and Simosihle Mkhize
- UJ Males – USSA Squad: Bukhosi Ndlela and Simosihle Mkhize
- UJ2 Dream Team: Keneilwe Seopa and Aphiwe Thusini
- UJ 1, Super League Division Dream Team: Muhluri Hlatshwayo
- CUCSA Players: Muhluri Hlatshwayo and Nomfundo Mngomezulu
- CUCSA Assistant Coach: Nomsa Zungu
Additionally, the UJ netballers also received individual awards for their excellent performances in the tournament. They include:
- UJ Males – Best Mid-Court Player – Simosihle Mkhize
- UJ2 Player of the Tournament – Chariska Van Der Spoel
- Defender of the Tournament – Boitumelo Mahloko
At Wits University, the UJ senior men’s and women’s hockey teams played five matches each, with the UJ men’s team finishing in third place (bronze medal) in a 2-1 win over the North West University Potchefstroom. The women’s team survived relegation by winning 1-0 against Nelson Mandela University, finishing in 7th place.
The UJ Squash Teams started off well in the individual player performances, but did not live up to expectations in the team results.
In Makhanda, Eastern Cape province, the UJ women’s 10s team finished in 1st place after a stellar showing in the tournament after winning by 22-10 over the University of Fort Hare. The men’s 15s team finished in 6th place.
“We are extremely proud of all the teams for representing UJ with pride in this year’s competition. Almost all our teams finished in medal-positions and that is a good reflection of high caliber of the University of Johannesburg sport clubs. Reaching six finals with various men’s and women’s teams is definitely a success for us,” says Ms Nompilo Zondi, Senior Manager: UJ Sport Clubs.
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