Tembisa Schools Chess Cluster hosts 2025 tournament
All participating schools competed for prizes, and the winners qualified for the Ekurhuleni North Schools District Finals.
The Tembisa Schools Chess Cluster (TSCC) hosted a successful tournament on March 15 at Tlamatlama Primary School in Thembisa, featuring both primary and high school learners across different age groups.
The director of Tembisa Chess Club and events organiser, Vusimuzi Mokone, said that the TSCC was inspired by the growing number of schools participating in local chess tournaments in Thembisa.
ALSO READ: Members of Ekurhuleni Senior Women’s Golf host tournament
Additionally, the cluster was founded through the integration of local schools with the support of the Ekurhuleni North District Sports and Arts Department.
“The mission of TSCC is to uplift, develop, and empower all school chess players so they can compete on global stages and become chess champions and grandmasters,” said Mokone.
Solly Chokoe, an Ekurhuleni North District Sports and Arts official, emphasised that all schools in the district are permitted to participate in chess.
“We have provided chess equipment to township schools that are playing chess, and the office has ensured the development of their chess structures,” said Chokoe.
The tournament featured various age groups and included ten different schools from both the primary and high school levels.
ALSO READ: Thembisa Golf Club hosts annual tournament
All participating schools competed for prizes, and the winners qualified for the Ekurhuleni North Schools District Finals.
Grace Phukubye, chairperson of the TSCC, encouraged schools to cultivate a love for chess from an early age and expose learners to different tournaments.
“We are planning to establish chess leagues for Tembisa schools, where learners can play regularly to improve their skills,” said Phukubye.
She also mentioned plans to introduce chess to parents so they can assist their children.
Additionally, they receive support from the Tembisa Chess Federation, which arranges workshops for educators to help coach learners.
The tournament was organised in partnership with Bright Future Stars Foundation and the Ekurhuleni Chess Association.
As the tournament concluded, excitement filled the hall as learners were announced as winners, earning the opportunity to compete in the Ekurhuleni North Schools District Finals.
