In a significant move aimed at fostering more than just living spaces for students, SPU’s Campus Housing and Accommodation Unit (CAHAU) recently hosted two of their annual events: the CAHAU Student General Awards and the second annual Mr & Miss SPU pageant on 13 and 14 October 2023. The goal of these events is to celebrate the academic and personal achievements of students, encouraging future leadership and community involvement.
For this year’s awards ceremony on 13 October, CAHAU aimed to recognise student achievements while also celebrating the world’s diverse cultures and rich heritage. Students dressed in their traditional attire and presented various cultural performances.
In his welcome speech, Mr Adonis Shikwambana, Manager: Campus Housing and Accommodation stressed the importance of having such an event, which is to honour students for the exceptional work that they have done throughout the year, while also encouraging them to do more.
Taking the stage as keynote speaker was Mr Buntu Mnyaka, the Senior Manager: Student Life and Development, who not only applauded students for their exceptional work but also the CAHAU Staff for their sense of community: “They don’t just speak about having living communities, but they actually live it by having all these elements that they have put together for celebrating and encouraging student excellence”.
View all the winners here.
The showstopper of the weekend was the Mr & Miss SPU pageant, themed “Light of Africa” on 14 October. The event sought to combat societal issues such as poverty and stress, by creating a supportive community for students. The evening was a spectacle of glamour and elegance, where contestants walked the stage in eye-catching attire and answered questions with grace and intelligence.
Mr and Miss SPU 2023, Mr Kitso Moobone and Ms Buyelwa Hope Makapela, are more than just beauty icons. They are symbols of compassion and leadership, promising an era of positive change. In conjunction with SPU house committees, the winners will establish a youth forum to help address challenges within student residences and campuses.
The crowning of Mr and Miss SPU, therefore, is not just a single event but a commitment to community building and leadership. Congratulations to all winners and their runner-ups – Mr Lord Ndibaza and Ms Bongiwe Mbele. Our 2023 winners are poised to inspire and lead, and we can’t wait to see the positive transformations they will bring to the world.
With these events, CAHAU sets a precedent for a holistic education experience that reaches far beyond the classroom. Indeed, the future looks bright, and it’s lit by us, the “Light of Africa.”
