College wins at art and culture contest

It was a chilly, rainy Saturday, but the False Bay TVET College in Khayelitsha was hot and buzzing as the much-anticipated College Sports Arts and Culture South Africa (COSACSA) Western Cape Competition took place.

Individuals and groups from the six Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges in the province – False Bay College, College of Cape Town, West Coast College, Boland College, Northlink College and South Cape College – took to the stage to showcase their unique talents in the choral music, choirs, poetry, dance and visual arts categories.

Donning alluring outfits and backed by cheering and ululating supporters, the participants entertained the audience as they raised the standard of their performances higher than the previous year, giving the adjudicators a tough time deciding.

But, in the end, there could only be one winner. This year, the hosts ensured that the title remains at home as they were announced the overall winners.

False Bay TVET College finished tops in the female voice (Lollipop, arranged by Beverly Ross and Julius Dixon), vernacular (African), drama, pantsula, freestyle and in pencil drawing (male). False Bay also came second in poetry (male), gumboots, traditional dance, solo soprano (yekabani lenkosazana by Dominic Gamedze) and in mezzo-soprano (by Cangio D’Aspetto); and finished third in the solo tenor (Angazi Ngiqale Ngaphi by ET Moshoeshoe) and in the chamber category.

Aubrey Mposula, president of the COSACSA said they were very impressed by the performances.

“If we judge you from where you were last year to where you are now, there has been a great improvement, and we are glad as the national office”.

Mposula congratulated the winners but cautioned them against resting on their laurels.

“To those who have won, the work has just started. The national competition will be much higher and much tougher. But we hope and believe that the winners who will represent the Western Cape in the Free State will do their utmost best to bring back the glory.”

Chairperson of COSACSA Western Cape, Shentayn van Heerden said the province is growing in leaps and bounds.

“It is our first event of this size, especially with the choral and performance arts sections, and I’m very pleased that all colleges were represented”.

He believed the Western Cape would be better prepared and hopefully improve their fifth placement in last year’s national competition in East London when the drama and poetry teams brought home gold medals.

“We have a lot of talent in our colleges, and we are creating a platform for our students to showcase it,” he said.

Russel Chisango, the chairperson of the sports and culture committee at False Bay TVET College, said it was an honour for his college to host the event. It was a testament to the value the college plays in supporting extra-mural activities by allowing students to participate in sports, arts and culture.

“We understand that many people are here for academic reasons but we always endeavour to mould them by ensuring that students balance academics with extra-mural activities to make them more holistic human beings.”

All category winners will represent the province in the national COSACSA competition in Bloemfontein.