Proud Paralympian shines bright
Postgraduate student Tezna Abrahams PLY recently returned from the Paralympic Games in Paris where she proudly represented South Africa in track and field.
The MTech Sport Management student has only been participating in athletics for a short time but has emerged as a force to be reckoned with.
“I initially started in swimming, which was my first love, but I found my passion in athletics. The switch to track was actually a random idea. I got locally classified in 2022 but only started my track career in January 2023.
“The thrill of competition and the opportunity to excel in track and field pushed me to make the transition. Through athletics, I’ve discovered my true potential, allowing me to push my boundaries and explore new personal limits.”
She competes in the T44 classification, which is for athletes with lower limb impairments and has broken the African record in the long jump three times.
“My impairment has taught me resilience and perseverance. Sport has played a huge role in my life by giving me a platform to push past my limitations, excel, and inspire others. Breaking the African long jump record three times has been a highlight in showing that with dedication, I can surpass expectations and set new standards, not just for myself, but for other athletes facing similar challenges.
“Physically, my preparation includes rigorous training, strength conditioning, and focusing on techniques that enhance my performance in each event. Mentally, I've worked on maintaining a positive mindset, building mental resilience, and staying focused on my goals. Balancing both aspects is key to being at my best on the global stage.”
At the Paralympic Games she participated in the long jump and the 200m.
In the long jump she finished 11th in the final with a new African record of 4.46m. She recorded a personal best of 31.17 seconds in the 200m, securing 10th place.
“Representing South Africa on the global stage is an honour and a privilege. It’s not just about personal achievement; it’s about being a role model and showing the world the strength and potential of athletes with disabilities. It's a reminder that hard work and dedication can take you far, regardless of challenges.”
She said balancing her training with her studies, her work as a retention specialist in the iGaming industry, and spending time with family requires careful planning and time management.
“It’s about setting priorities, and I’m fortunate to have supportive people around me who understand the demands of my sport and career.”
Her message to young athletes, especially those with disabilities, is to never underestimate their abilities.
“Your challenges can become your strengths if you stay determined. The key is to believe in yourself and not let any limitations define your potential.”
Visually impaired graduate conquers his circumstances
A visually impaired Advanced Diploma: Quality graduate, Lesley Olivier, and his wife, Hendrika, a Call Centre Agent in CPUT’s Marketing and Communication Department, who is also visually impaired are not going to “let our disability stand in the way of us living a fulfilled life”.
“We want to take part in everything life has to offer,” says Lesley, who graduated last night. The elated father of two boys says it is possible to achieve your dreams only when you put your mind to it, adding that being visually impaired wouldn’t deter him and his family from fulfilling their dreams but pushes them to strive to reach their life goals.
“We want to be good parents for our children and give them the best possible opportunities in life, including the best possible education we can afford.”
His “immensely proud wife portrayed him as a very quiet and humble person. “He is always up for a challenge and is very self-driven. His academic success can be ascribed to his dedication and curious mind - he always wants to acquire new knowledge.
“It's difficult to put it [excitement] into words, but when I heard his name being called out, I was super excited and immensely proud of what my husband has achieved.”
She has been very supportive through-out his husband’s studies. “She understood if I had to put in hours to catch up with studies or doing research for assignments. She relieved me from time to time, so I could focus on my studies. She always encouraged me, especially through those times when I really stressed when I had difficulty understanding a concept or battled to find research material for an assignment.”
When he registered part-time in 2022, he was surprised to learn that CPUT has a dedicated Disability Unit that sees to the study needs of students with disabilities, and “this made me feel more at ease”. Classes were online, which meant that he would have had much less of personal interaction with lecturers than with physical classes, which would have been a disadvantage, especially for “a visually impaired student”. However, he decided to embrace the new way of attending classes and met “two brilliant lectures for my first two subjects”. “I can still recall Dr [Bronwyn] Swartz’s passion for teaching statistics and how she always started her classes by determining the wellbeing of her students out of pure sincerity.” He later met Dr [Desiree] Jaftha, “a real people’s person who liked to chat to students about everything imaginable, but who were also very efficient and knowledgeable on conveying various ISO standards applications and what it meant to students in their particular industries”.
“As soon as Dr Jaftha and Dr Swartz became aware of my presence in their respective classes, they had always tried to take special care to ensure that I’m able to follow.”
Lesley, who has been working as a call centre agent for an investment, savings, insurance, and banking group for 11 years admits that statistics with Dr Swartz was particularly challenging, but with additional help from her “I managed to pull through in the end”. “Dr Jaftha remained in contact with me even outside of class times to provide repeated feedback to me until I would grasp difficult concepts.”
It was also helpful that all lectures were recorded, so Lesley could listen to them over and over to assist him to better comprehend a concept. In his second year he met Dr Lucrecia Valentine, a lecturer in the Auditing of ISO Standards. “She was amazing, always full of energy and ready for a chat, but also extremely knowledgeable in the field of auditing with lots of experience that she shared with us students during her lecturers. She always made me feel very at ease in her class and I always felt free to contribute, whether it was through sharing an experience or answering a question she had asked. Dr Valentine’s lectures were always easy to follow, even for me who had a visual impairment.”
He continued: “None of my concerns I initially had when applied to study at CPUT materialised. None [lecturers] of them previously had a blind student in their class, and I suppose that they may not always have known how to accommodate me as one of their students, but in the end they have done a brilliant job in the way they have assisted me throughout my two years of study, having enabled me to complete my studies and be eligible to graduate the Advance Diploma in Quality, for which I’m very grateful.”
Meanwhile Jaftha says: “After investigating, I confirm that he is the first blind student to graduate from our faculty. As far as I know.” She adds that Lesley certainly conquered his circumstances. “It was interesting to see how he managed to participate in good quality group work and generally connecting virtually with his peers. In many instances they were unaware of his impairment. Lesley has shown an admirable level of tenacity, integrity and determination that truly inspired me. Keep on holding dear that which matters the most. I am honoured and proud to share in your moment of glory! A tremendous congratulations to you!”
Valentine described Lesley as a gentle, soft-spoken, and very gifted individual. “Lesley, unknowingly, inspired me as an able-bodied person. I was not aware he was visually impaired. I was drawn to the gentleness with which he spoke and his valuable experience when we engaged. It was evident that the qualification meant a lot to Lesley, and his learning attitude attributed his success…Lesley, you did it despite the obvious challenges.”
Maleecka Harris, Lecturer, Industrial & Systems Engineering, described Lesley as very respectful and humble. “His active engagement during class attributed to his success.”
CPUT appoints its first South African Sign Language Interpreter at Disability Unit
The Disability Unity recently welcomed Kevin Petersen to its ranks– the first South African Sign Language interpreter to be appointed in the unit.
Petersen has one sister who is also a SA Sign Language Interpreter, and the siblings entered the profession because both of their parents are deaf.
“We grew up with South African Sign Language as our first language,” says Petersen.
The Cape Town-born interpreter attended mainstream school and finished matric “the only difference, well I wouldn’t call it a difference, more of a blessing was that my parents were deaf, but they supported me and raised me into the person that I am today”. “If it had not been for them, I wouldn’t be in the profession that I am in today. I slowly became part of the Deaf community through going to Deaf gatherings with my parents, (well, mainly my mom) and meeting all her friends and being immersed within the Deaf culture, which in turn became a part of me,” Petersen reminisces.
It took tremendous hard work, determination and willpower and passion for Petersen to be where he is today. “If you are not passionate about what you do, then what is the point of doing it,” Petersen quips.
Underlying his career choice would be his parents. “It drives me [outrageous] seeing that my parents and the rest of the Deaf community have no access (access to what?), which is why I am doing it, to improve accessibility for persons that are Deaf.”
The modest interpreter says the highlight of his career is just being able to provide this service to the Deaf community so that they may also have a full understanding of what is happening in and around them.
Reflecting on his appointment, the kind-hearted Petersen says: “I am excited and overwhelmed at the opportunity of being the first South African Sign Language Interpreter at CPUT. Previously, I worked at a Deaf organisation called Deaf Federation of South Africa, (DeafSA), offering the same service for four years. This is where I received in-depth training and refined my skills in South African Sign Language interpreting.”
He is determined to fulfil his mandate to offer the best service to students and to also work hard in the unit to show current and prospective students that CPUT is an institution that is all about inclusivity and accessibility and “to ensure that all students with disabilities get the best service from this unit”.
Petersen’s overall plan is to make CPUT proud and to improve the lives of students. When he is not at work, he plays rugby and dances as well but when he is not doing either, he will be spending time at home or exploring fun places and activities with his loved ones.
“I prioritise my work but when I do have time out of my busy schedule, I make time to spend with my family, they mean the world to me and are very supportive and understanding at all times.”
He adds: “Don’t think of South African Sign Language or having parents that are Deaf as a burden, especially if you always have to interpret for them, but look at it as a blessing in disguise because it is shaping you for something much greater for your life.”
Feel hopeless and helpless, if you undergo these emotions, get help!
The Student Counselling Unit will be streaming an online suicide prevention campaign from 26 July to 30 July.
Tackling alcohol and substance abuse
The Division of Student Affairs has embarked on a series of campaigns to help address alcohol and substance abuse and the social ills caused by it.
Herding cattle taught student counsellor life skills
Growing up in a village called kwaNgele near Middledrift, Eastern Cape, student counsellor, Phumla Baca, not only performed chores that are prescribed for girls only by the society but also those prescribed for boys.
Student Counselling Unit thrives despite Covid-19
Student Counselling support does not only mean engaging on an individual psychotherapeutic level – it also plays an important role in holistically developing students.
