CPUT’s Green Team is committed to change and has taken their dedication to the environment to new heights by protecting rhinos in the Eastern Cape.

The Green Team, which comprises of students, will spend the next three weeks volunteering at the Baviaanskloof Nature Conservation. The team will be required to track and protect the reserve’s rhino population.

CPUT’s Annete Grobler explains how the team’s collaboration with Baviaanskloof began:

“Zintle Mazaleni, the Chairman of the Green team Cape Town Campus, is a Nature Conservation student and worked in the park during last year’s December holidays. Having rendered such great service, they invited him and the CPUT Green team back to Bavinaanskloof.”

The Green Team is moving towards collaborative engagements with businesses and nature conservations. Previous projects include last year’s collaborative beach cleanups with Transnet.

Currently, the team is assisting with the sampling and testing of water in the Olifants River as well as community educational programmes that focus on water pollution.

Written by

Taking care of the environment is everyone’s responsibility and the Department of Student Affairs is getting CPUT students involved.

Last year the Green Team, a Student Affairs initiative, organised CPUT’s first Green Week, an event aimed at raising awareness about the importance of living a greener lifestyle.

The Green Team also regularly engage in community outreach programs, including beach clean-ups. Their most recent outreach program is a visit to Baviaanskloof Nature Conservation in the Eastern Cape. Students will be spending their July vacation volunteering at the reserve to track and protect the reserve’s rhino population.

Another of Student Affairs’ green initiatives is their Environmental Education Weekend, set to be held at the Zeekoevlei Nature Reserve in Cape Town. This event, which will take place from 2-3 August, aims at providing students the opportunity to learn more about their environment and to see first-hand the effects of not taking care of the environment.

“There is a real difference between telling students about the effects of what could happen if the environment is not cared for and showing them. We want to educate students and show them that they can make a difference,” says Student Affairs' Anette Grobler.

Students interested in participating in these and other green initiatives can contact Anette Grobler at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Written by

A group of inspirational CPUT students with a passion for the environment and maintaining Cape Town's status as one of the world's most beautiful cities appeared on national television this week. Mentored by Anette Grobler from the Department of Student Affairs, the Green Team’s mission is to focus on environmental clean-ups and keeping the city's beaches spotless. Their back-breaking labour earned them an insert on the educational programme YoTV after the producer of the renowned TV show logged on to the CPUT Facebook page and saw some of the team’s impressive work.

Twice a month, about 85 students sacrifice their weekends to turn previously rubbish-strewn areas into spotless, attractive and livable spaces. Using black bags, gloves, brooms, and a whole lot of elbow-grease, they pick up all the litter they possibly can, and with the help of a CPUT bakkie, dump bag-loads of refuse and rubbish at a waste disposal site.

Grobler says she is extremely proud of the whole team: “The students don’t get paid a cent, but still arrive every second Saturday to do their bit for the environment. There’s a lot of effort going into this campaign and their willingness and can-do spirit is just amazing.”

The Chairperson of the Green Team, Anita Sikutshwa, decides where they clean up, but they only work in Cape Town and within a 50 km radius outside the inner city. She says team spirit is very high on their priority list: “We have a lot of enthusiasm regarding the protection of the environment. We also have a lot of fun together and there is a strong feeling of unity in the group. It’s shameful to see the dirt around our beaches. It’s amazing how much people pollute and then just don't care about the environment. After cleaning, we feel proud because we have made a difference. “

Grobler adds that at the moment, the work of the Green Team is completely unsponsored. “Nedbank is looking into it and there might be a possibility that they sponsor this campaign, because they are a green bank. Red Bull currently gives us a few drinks and I’m making sandwiches, just for the students to eat whilst they’re busy working.” According to Grobler sponsorship would go a long way in bolstering the efforts and pride of the already committed students.

Grobler herself will be hitting the headlines soon as she aims to become the first person to walk the Skeleton Coast of Namibia completely solo and unsupported. During this expedition, which is a fundraising exercise for deaf and hard-of-hearing adults at the National Institute for the Deaf College, Grobler will have no transport whatsoever, taking all she needs to survive on her back and on her sled. Grobler leaves for Windhoek on the 22nd of March in her quest to make history. In 2005, she became the first person ever to walk the Angolan desert coastline without any support or backup team and has also climbed Kilimanjaro.

Membership of the Green Team is growing substantially and all students who want to help keep Cape Town green can contact Grobler at 021 460 3499 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Bellville campus students can call Lindelwa Gayiza at 021 959 6335 or email her at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.By: Mariette Adams

Written by CPUT News
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Green Week is in full swing at CPUT.

The Green Week is an initiative of the Department of Student Affairs (DSA) and the student Green Team and aims to create awareness of environmental issues on all campuses.

The programme kicked off in style on Monday when multi-award-winning house band, Micasa, entertained more then 4 000 staff and students at the Cape Town campus.

“We invited Micasa to draw students’ attention to the initiative as we know that they are popular among the students,” explains Student Development Officer Annette Grobler.

This afternoon students will hike up Lions Head to clean the mountain, on Friday they will carry out renovations at a local Pre-Primary school and on Sunday morning students will clean up Macassar Beach.

The Green Team is urging all CPUT staff and students to support this initiative by sporting a green item of clothing to campus this week. Those who are spotted wearing green and are able to explain the purpose of the week will win a spot prize.

To join in the Green Week activities contact Annette Grobler on 021 460 3499 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Written by Kwanele Butana

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

With the help of a group of environment-savvy students, CPUT is on the path to becoming one of the most environmentally friendly higher education institutions in the country.

The “Green Team – Olympic Re-cyclists” is the latest student organisation to join the extensive list of active organisations at the University. Headed up by Anette Grobler from Student Affairs, the organisation’s main aim is to increase environmental awareness among students and staff at CPUT.

The group, which boasts a membership of 29 students, has wasted no time since its launch in February, and to date has hosted several workshops and even embarked on an environmental awareness trip to Madagascar during the recent university holiday.

During workshops students discussed various environmental issues relating to CPUT campuses and the implementation of initiatives to increase awareness around these issues.

Grobler said that during workshops students mooted the idea of implementing environmental friendly footnotes attached to all student and staff e-mails.

Messages such as “Before you print this email, think about the number of trees used for the paper you are printing on,” are just one of several ideas students are looking at in a bid to increase environmental awareness.

Other issues highlighted at recent meetings include reducing staff and students’ carbon footprints on CPUT’s five main campuses.

Grobler and the 29 members of the group are positive that students and staff can make a difference to CPUT and its broader environment by implementing small changes to their daily routines.

Grobler said reducing daily printing and switching off appliances when not in use, are just some of the changes students and staff can implement to ensure a healthy environment.

By Tasneem Tagodien, Marketing and Communication Department

Photograph: Student Affairs staff member Annette Grobler and members of the Green Team arrive in Madagascar for an environmental workshop.

Written by CPUT News
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.