Council workers, officials to defend title

Hundreds of Eastern Cape municipal workers and councillors crossed the eSwatini boarder at the weekend to take part in this year’s Southern African InterMunicipal Sports Association Games.

The workers and councillors from various municipalities including Buffalo City Metro, Amathole District Municipality and the O R Tambo District Municipality will battle it out in cricket, athletics, netball, soccer, swimming, table tennis, volleyball, pool table, darts, aerobics and golf.

The Saimsa games started on Sunday and will end on Friday.

BCM spokesperson Samkelo Ngwenya said the metro had sent170 employees and 15 councillors.

“As the city we are very proud of our sport club as they are the overall defending champions since 2012, so even now we trust they are going there to retain our status as the cham- pions of Saimsa games,” Ngwenya said.

BCM has a total budget of R1.6m for the trip, but Ngwenya said “we are still getting invoices on the actual spending for the games”.

O R Tambo District Municipality spokesperson Andile Duka said they had sent 110 employees, which included players and technical teams.

“There is a budget allocation for these games set aside by the district but the actual expenditure will be known once all invoices have been processed and audited internally.

“It is a long-held belief that sports and recreation programmes help employees establish lifelong, healthy, physical activity patterns and improve productivity in the workplace.

“Regular physical activity can ward off life-threatening diseases, reduce feelings of depression and anxiety, and help control weight and obesity,” Duka said.

ADM sent 63 workers and one councillor.

Acting spokesperson Nonceba Madikizela-Vuso said no municipal funds would be spent on the trip.

“The ADM sourced sponsors for the team to be able to go to the games and the team will be going to eSwatini. The sponsors have come through. The ADM is fully behind its teams with the expectation that they do well and win the games it partakes in to uplift the institution’s name while improving employee wellness,” she said.

The initiative received a thumbs-up from participating councillors.

BCM councillor Sindiswa Gomba, who plays netball for the over 40’s teams, said: “This is such a great initiative. It contributes towards the wellness of staff, psychologically and physically. Sports plays a big part in taking care of workers. This year, as BCM netball over 40s team, we are looking forward to reclaiming the space we lost last year.”

This initiative contributes towards the wellness of staff