More than a match: playing for purpose at the ORT Padel Day

Some days are remembered for the result. Others stay with you because of the people, the atmosphere and the purpose behind them.

The 2026 ORT Padel Day was one of those days.

As headline sponsor, Otto1890 once again joined ORT SA for an event that brought colleagues, clients, friends and families together around the padel court. There was plenty of competition, but the day was about much more than who won or lost. It was an opportunity to connect outside of the workplace while supporting ORT SA’s work in entrepreneurship and skills development.

That combination of competition, connection and purpose is what has made the event such a meaningful part of the calendar for Otto1890.

For those who took to the court, it meant representing the business in a very different environment. For those supporting from the sidelines, it was a chance to spend time together away from the usual routines of work. Behind it all was a shared understanding that the day was contributing to something bigger.

For Janira Khammungkhun, Specialist: Investment Operations, that experience has become something of an annual tradition.

More than colleagues

Janira has taken part in the ORT Padel Day for the past three years, alongside the same padel partner, Mphathi Yengwa, Equity Analyst.

Their strategy remains remarkably consistent: arrive with a game plan and convince themselves that this will finally be their year.

“We’ve come to realise that we might not be the best team on the court, but we have a great time and enjoy every moment of it,” Janira says.

For her, that is exactly what makes the day work.

“The combination of the competition, the people and the atmosphere is what makes the day so memorable.”

Mphathi agrees that this year felt particularly special.

“This year, the atmosphere was undoubtedly the highlight for me. It was wonderful to see so many Otto1890 members come out to support the event,” he says.

“In my view, this was the best ORT Padel Day to date.”

That support extended beyond the players. Colleagues, friends and families gathered around the courts, creating an atmosphere that felt less like a corporate event and much more like a community.

For Mphathi, those interactions matter.

“Having the opportunity to connect with colleagues outside of the workplace really helped strengthen the Otto1890 culture and made the experience even more meaningful.”

The people make the day

That sense of connection also stood out for Samuel Boa-Amponsem, Private Clients Investment Manager.

His highlight was not simply playing padel, but getting to know colleagues in a completely different environment.

“Getting to know and interact with my fellow colleagues in a less formal setting and on the sporting field was a highlight for me,” Samuel says.

Representing Otto1890 together also gave the teams an opportunity to demonstrate something that is often difficult to capture in a boardroom or an office.

“It shows our unity as a brand, and clients get to see that we are just normal people like them, trying to improve lives through our expertise in financial services.”

For Ntando Myataza, CA Trainee, who experienced his first ORT Padel Day this year, it was also the people who stood out.

“The padel was great, but being able to connect with colleagues and peers in a relaxed setting always brings out the very best in everybody,” he says.

“It was a Sunday well spent. Seeing everyone together with loved ones was really special and just encapsulated the community element of the day so well.”

Playing for a bigger purpose

The connections made on the day matter, but they are only one part of the story.

At the heart of the ORT Padel Day is ORT SA’s work to create opportunities through entrepreneurship and skills development. That broader purpose is what gives Otto1890’s involvement meaning beyond the court.

For Mphathi, the link to entrepreneurship is particularly important given the economic challenges facing South Africa.

“SMMEs and entrepreneurs are the backbone of South Africa’s economy,” he says.

“Supporting them is essential in helping to create opportunities, stimulate economic growth and address the challenge of unemployment in our country.”

Samuel shares that view.

“Entrepreneurship is a major solution to the challenge of job creation, so to be part of an event that is helping to cultivate that success makes the day even more meaningful.”

Ntando sees the partnership through a similarly human lens.

“We are all products of getting assistance from others,” he says.

“Knowing that ORT SA channels support towards entrepreneurs and skills development for those in need makes it very easy to back such an initiative.”

It is this bigger purpose that makes Otto1890’s partnership with ORT SA meaningful.

As headline sponsor, our involvement is not simply about putting our name alongside an event. It is about supporting an organisation working to create opportunities, while giving our own people an opportunity to participate in that purpose together.

Competition, connection and purpose

Ask our teams what they will remember from the day and the answers vary.

For Janira, it is about enjoying the experience and “being part of something bigger than yourself”.

For Samuel, it is “contributing to a greater cause, while getting active.”

For Ntando, it was the people and the sense of community.

Mphathi summed up the day in one word:

“Scrumptious.”

We’ll take it.

Somewhere between the serves, rallies, ambitious game plans and sideline support was the real story of the ORT Padel Day: people coming together, relationships growing stronger and a partnership contributing to a cause that matters.

Otto1890 is proud to be the headline sponsor of the ORT Padel Day and to continue supporting ORT SA in the work it does to help create opportunities for entrepreneurs and develop skills for the future.

As for Janira and Mphathi’s winning strategy?

There’s always next year.

Watch the day unfold

The games were competitive. The atmosphere was even better.

Watch our recap of the 2026 ORT Padel Day and hear more about the partnership between Otto1890 and ORT SA, the people who took to the court and the bigger purpose behind the day.

WATCH THE ORT PADEL DAY RECAP VIDEO