UKZN Launches Soccer League to Help Promote RMS Staff Wellness

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UKZN’s Risk Management Services (RMS) has launched an exciting soccer initiative designed to boost wellness and team spirit across campuses.

The tournaments will also direct all prize money towards bursaries for deserving students.

The launch, held at Howard College’s UNITE Building, unveiled the colours for the four campus teams. Westville will play in blue, Edgewood in red, Pietermaritzburg in green, and for the purposes of the league, the Howard College and Medical School campuses have been combined into a single team and will be playing in orange.

The Asiphephe (Let’s be Safe) League - features the campus teams, and it is played in a round-robin format, with each team playing the others both home and away. Points are awarded as follows: three points for a win, one point for a draw, and none for a loss. In total, each participating team will play six matches (three at home and three away) across the season. The team with the highest points tally at the end will be crowned Asiphephe League Champions.

The Sivikele Cup (meaning ‘Protect us’) is a knockout competition also featuring four teams. A draw is conducted each year to determine the fixtures for the competition. The winners of the first-round fixtures advance to the final, which is contested over two legs. Each finalist plays one match at home and one away, with the aggregate score deciding the champion.

The Registrar’s Cup is also played in a knockout format. Unlike the Sivikele Cup, however, the final is contested as a single decisive match.

The total prize money for all three cups amounts to just over R100 000 and the entire sum will be donated to financially support deserving students.

Pro Vice-Chancellor: Student Services Professor Msizi Mkhize thanked all those who conceptualised and implemented the initiative.

“This is a thoughtful intervention that we believe has the potential to make a meaningful contribution to the life of our University,” said Mkhize. “Sport has always had the ability to unite, break down barriers and strengthen relationships across divides. On our campuses, we see how students from diverse backgrounds connect through sport - whether as players, spectators, supporters or even opponents on the field. What excites us about the Asiphephe League is precisely its potential to continue this tradition of connection and engagement.”

Mr Trevor Abrahams of RMS paid tribute to Mr Lovemore Khumalo for driving the process that led to the league’s establishment. Abrahams said RMS’s core responsibility included ensuring the safety of staff, students, visitors, contractors and property across all five campuses. This demands sound judgment, composure under pressure, professionalism, and compassion.

“Also needed are the physical, emotional and mental wellness of those entrusted with this task, which is why the league is so important,” he said.

“The launch of the Asiphephe League, the Sivikele Cup, and the Registrar’s Cup is our way of saying, clearly and loudly, that the wellness of RMS members matters. This league is an investment in their wellbeing and a formal recognition of their hard work. Through it, we also aim to build a spirit of togetherness and resilience, creating a space for RMS members to connect with each other and with the broader University community.”

The league will feature internal RMS teams from all campuses as well as mixed fixtures with students and members of the Student Representative Council (SRC). Abrahams emphasised the purpose behind this approach: “We want our students to know that RMS is here to support, not confront. We are here to walk and work with them, not against them.”

University Registrar Dr Kathy Cleland thanked all those involved for the support in organising the launch, highlighting that RMS staff worked long hours and shifts, making events such as the soccer competitions essential for fostering teamwork and offering opportunities to connect in a different environment. She encouraged staff to involve their families in physical activities and noted that a women’s cup was being considered.

Executive Director of the Corporate Relations Division Ms Normah Zondo acknowledged RMS managers for championing the vision and playing key roles in its planning. She also praised staff members who would participate, saying it is their involvement that will give life and meaning to the league.

“We will support this league and related activities, and we believe it will have a lasting impact on morale, team spirit and the overall wellness of our RMS colleagues,” said Zondo. “We can never have a stronger university without a stronger RMS, and we can never deliver on any of our strategic priorities if students and staff do not feel safe in our spaces. A healthier, more connected RMS team benefits the entire University - and in that sense, UKZN ultimately wins.”

She commended Khumalo’s leadership, noting that despite the loss of his mother earlier in the week, he worked tirelessly to ensure the success of the event. “We extend our heartfelt condolences to him and his family,” she added.

UKZN’s Human Resources Development Director, Dr Manoshni Perumal, and SRC President, Mr Siyabonga Mlondo, congratulated RMS and the Registrar on the launch and pledged their support for the league.

Programme Director and Acting Sports Manager, Mr Zweli Sapula, facilitated the draw for the league games between campuses, assisted by Mr Sibusiso Gcwensa, President of the South African Football Association (SAFA) Local Football Association in the Pinetown South Region.

Words: NdabaOnline

Photographs: Yola Ndzabe