R1m spent for Tshwete Games
Buffalo City Metro has spent more than R1m in organising the Steve Vukile Tshwete Games set to kick off on November 28 to 30 in East London.
The three day sporting event will see eight municipalities going head to head in goal ball, football, netball, boxing, rugby 7s, volleyball and table tennis.
The participating municipalities are Alfred Nzo, Joe Gqabi, O R Tambo, Sarah Baartman, Chris Hani, Amathole, Buffalo City Metro and Nelson Mandela Bay Metro.
BCM sport services manager Manelisi Lwana said they had made all the necessary arrangements as the hosting municipality and all the monies spent went to a long way to make the event a success.
“The cost of organising these games is between R1.5m to R2m and the local sport federations were involved in the allocation of that money.
“It helped us prepare the indoor sports centres and the stadiums we’ll be utilising for the games.
“And we also have to organise a gala dinner whereby the executive mayor [Xola Pakati] will welcome everyone to the games.
“Plus we have to prepare the teams representing BCM at the games, which were chosen in June 16 at the Mayoral Cup,” said Lwana.
Other logistics like securing accommodation and other necessities will be handled by main organisers of the SVT games; Department of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture (DSRAC) and South African Local Government Association (SALGA).
“Another thing for us to organise will be the sporting gear that our players will use so they can be identifiable.
“And maybe to encourage them as well so they can win, and I can confidently say that we have secured all the venues that were identified by the sports federations and council.”
Lwana said they had to ensure that the venues met the specifics required by all the sporting codes.
“We will be utilising Cambridge Hall for goal ball because of the wooden floor, as we all know that sport is played by the blind, and wooden floor assists them in detecting the balls’ whereabouts.
“We have changed the venue for boxing as well, because last year we hosted it at Robert De Lange Hall, but the boxing teams said to us that venue was isolated.
“So we have changed that venue to Orient Threatre, which is close to hotels, because they always play until midnight.
“And for football we will have secured Bunkers Hill Sport Fields, and for netball we have booked Selborne Park, and rugby will be played at BCM Stadium.
“Volleyball will be played at Parkside and Gompo Hall and, lastly, table tennis will be played at Billy Francis Hall.”
It helped us prepare the indoor sports centres and the stadiums