​​​Maties Sport recently prioritised the upgrade of sports facilities at the Tygerberg campus. This is in line with the strategic objective of providing access to a diverse recreation and active lifestyle programme for students, staff and to the community.

Led by the Facilities Management team, the Tygerberg Multipurpose Sports Facility project caters for several types of sport, including tennis, netball, basketball, badminton as well as other recreational activities. The project was launched on 21 February, and began operating in March 2022.

“This facility provides the opportunity for an improved service and programme delivery, including opportunities for our students and staff, our surrounding community, and for initiatives such as the hosting of local leagues and social impact programmes," Ilhaam Groenewald, Chief Director of Maties Sport said at the official opening of the facility.

“Maties Sport remains committed to providing opportunities to enhance participation in recreational activities, thereby contributing to the encouragement of an active lifestyle. This facility affords our students and staff the opportunity to create a healthy balance between their academic studies and their participation in recreational sport," Groenewald said.

Several other speakers at the launch also underlined the importance of work-life balance.

“Leisure is important. Work-life balance is important, because burnout is real. We've seen more of it during the last two years and it's also particularly true for our healthcare professionals. It's absolutely crucial to overall health and wellbeing to find that balance, and to spend some time here out on these great courts," said Stellenbosch University Rector and Vice Chancellor, Prof Wim De Villiers.

Tygerberg Campus Sport Administrator, Yaseen Gangat, expressed his gratitude for the new facility.

“It will allow users to host recreational activities after hours – which is essential when one considers the busy schedule of our students on campus. This expansion of the facilities will be extremely beneficial to students and the community at large," said Gangat.

“In the first week of the courts being open, more students than ever have taken to the fields at all hours of the day. I think there are many memorable experiences being had on these courts and I hope that it's the start of great things for sports at the Tygerberg campus," added Wandile Mokhele, Sports Manager for the Tygerberg Student Representative Council (TSRC). He reiterated that the facility would make a huge difference to the physical and mental health of students.

“For us as students, sport is incredibly important. It's not just for our physical wellbeing, but it's also about mental wellbeing. I can say personally that sport is an integral part of my life, and it has enabled me to focus on my academic studies when I needed to, but then also be able to focus on my all-round wellbeing. If you are not looking after all aspects of wellness, you cannot flourish," said Caitlin Sithole, a Maties Sport women's football player and MBChB student.

The final word belonged to the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.

“You can't go into a career such as medicine and face the challenges that we do every day with patients and patient care if you don't have some form of switching off from it, and leading a balanced life. This is important for all of us, and we all do it in different ways, but sport is such a big part of this. This is why I'm very excited that we have this beautiful facility which will create another opportunity for recreation for the many the students living or working on campus. I hope that these facilities will be a place of enjoyment, fun and happiness, and many social events in the future," she concluded.​