MEC upbeat about development platform for young players

SPORT, recreation, arts and culture MEC Pemmy Majodina shared her excitement about the Steve Vukile Tshwete Games taking place in East London over the next two days.

Majodina told the Daily Dispatch that these games were a developmental platform, hence they decided to focus on athletes that are under the age of 19 years.

She said the games were named after Steve Vukile Tshwete, former sports minister, who was a man known across the world as a champion of sport development and transformation.

“Bra Steve as he was affectionately known is always remembered for his wise and dynamic ways of persuading those that resisted against change towards sport unity in our country.

“Some leaders of his time like Alfred Metele would make it a condition for them to serve in sport leadership that Steve must be in the committees.

“When these games were conceived the planners agreed on the theme “from grass roots to glory through sport”, Majodina said.

She said the theme defines what Tshwete believed in, as he always encouraged all federations to take sport to all corners of our country, regardless of how remote they might be.

“These games are meant to rotate to all municipalities, but however there are requirements that we have to adhere to before we agree on which municipality should be a host in a particular year.

“The 2017 games are held at a time when we are rapping up the OR Tambo Centenary and in 2018 the games will form part of celebrating the centenary of Nelson Mandela another world icon born and bred in the Eastern Cape.”

Majodina also appealed to the business sector to join hands with government and support these games and that provincial government would consider increasing the number of codes to be in line with the Commonwealth and Olympic Games model.

Rethable Lefefa, 18, from the Joe Gqabi District Municipality netball team said the first round was tough, because they were lacking in their defence and shooting department, but they would try their best to win their upcoming games.

“We first played BCM and we lost because that game was a tough one to control with the squad they have. The second one we played against Amathole and that one was not that bad because we were on top of things and we managed to get a win.

“Following the week-long camp we had, it’s not that difficult to compete here. We tried to fix what we saw as “crisis departments” like height which is a problem for us, and we had to make provisions for it,” said Lefefa.

Netball results: First round: Court 1 BCM 29-7 Joe Gqabi, Court 2 Sarah Baartman 2216 Chris Hani. Round 2: OR Tambo 12-21 Nelson Mandela Bay, Court 2 Alfred Ndzo 11-13 Amathole.

Round 3: Joe Gqabi 23-2 Amatole, Court 2 Nelson Mandela Bay 25-21 Sara Baartmaan, BCM 20-26 NMMU.