11 December, 2017

University of Malawi is among the 10 universities participating in the Southern African Universities Staff Sport Association (SAUSSA) games currently being hosted by Fort Hare University in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa.

SAUSSA is an inter-university staff sports association in Southern Africa whose vision is to promote social cohesion, sports and recreation and to create mutual friendship and professional relations among member universities.

Malawi has a 53 member delegation led by the Pro Vice Chancellor Professor Al Mtenje. Other universities currently at this year’s games (running from 8^th to 15^th December) are Lesotho, Zambia, Botswana, Namibia, Swaziland, Limpopo, South Africa, Zimbabwe and the hosts and reigning champions, Fort Hare.

According to Elius Chizimba, University of Malawi’s Senior Assistant Registrar responsible for sports, Malawi will compete in a number of sports categories including football, netball, darts, athletics, pool and volleyball.

The grand opening of the games held this morning (11^th December) was marked by a colourful parade in which all universities sung and danced to their traditional songs as they made entry into the huge, state of the art multipurpose complex hall where speeches were made.

In his opening speech, University of Fort Hare’s Registrar Prof Michael Somniso extended warm welcome to all participating teams but warned that his university will do everything possible to retain the title. Mayor of Remond Mulhaba Municipality Bandile Khetelo was among the most notable dignitaries that graced the opening ceremony.

Fort Hare University, which has three campuses and a student population of over 15 000,  was opened in 1916 and was the first university to enroll black Africans during apartheid in South Africa.