Mpumalanga, 9 December 2025 — St Marks School in Mpumalanga hosted a significant meeting with the University of Johannesburg (UJ) Sports team, marking an important step toward establishing a long-term strategic partnership aimed at advancing both academic and sports development for learners.
The meeting was attended by UJ Sports Co-Founder Mr. Abel Nkuna, Ms. Nomsa Mahlangu, Head of the Sports Department, Mr. Abrahim, Sports Manager, and Ms. Nolufefe Sila, Manager of the UJ Football Club. The engagement focused on exploring collaboration opportunities that would create structured pathways for learners to access higher education and elite sports programmes.
St Marks School has built a strong reputation for sporting excellence in Mpumalanga and nationally. This was recently demonstrated when the school was crowned national champions in the Kay Motsep U/19 Boys category, an achievement that highlights its commitment to talent development and competitive sport.
Discussions during the meeting centred on learner exposure to UJ’s sports ecosystem, including possible access to scholarships, high-performance training, mentorship programmes, and academic support. Such initiatives are expected to enhance learner readiness for tertiary education while providing opportunities to excel at competitive sporting levels.
Speaking at the meeting, Mr. Abel Nkuna, Co-Founder and Executive Director of St Marks School, expressed optimism about the potential partnership.
“We are thrilled to engage with UJ Sports. This collaboration has the potential to strengthen our sports programmes and provide our learners with access to world-class facilities and expertise, contributing to their overall growth and development,” he said.
The engagement marks a key milestone in St Marks School’s efforts to expand opportunities for its learners through meaningful institutional partnerships and to position sport as a catalyst for educational advancement.
For more information:
Mordecai Ndlovu
068 319 4983
mordecain@mn-f.org
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