BCM sports stars honoured
The first Buffalo City Metro Sports Awards were held at Buffalo Park in East London at the weekend.
In the 29 categories, only the best local athletes and administrators were honoured for their achievements in different sporting codes – from drafts to tetrathlon.
IFBB South African champion Mveliso Tapi walked away with the sportsman of the year award and budding young female boxer Sinqobile Joxo, 19, took the sportswoman of the year accolade.
Clarendon Primary School pupil Mandibongwe Qangule, 12, was the youngest winner at the glittering event when she took the sports star of the year award.
WBO bantamweight champion Zolani Tete’s manager Mla Tengimfene won the sport administrator of the year award.
The Buffalo City Metro Suns, who won the Vodacom Challenge Cup in October after beating Gauteng in the final, won the male team with disability award.
Wheelchair basketball coach Mziwamadoda Camba won the coach of the year award.
Drafts guru and champion, Malibongwe Tete, who recently went to Las Vegas, Nevada to compete at the world championships, also scooped the drafts championship award.
Rhys Poovan, who got gold at the SA Modern Pentathlon Championships, won the newcomer of the year award alongside bodybuilder Mendo Magwaca.
The technical official of the year award went to Eugene van Schalkwyk for his role in bodybuilding, as well as Khayakazi Langa, who is part of the team EC wheelchair basketball and BCM Suns.
Qhamani Mjikeliso won the baseball coach of the year award while Nomvuyo Vellem won the team manager of the year accolade in wheelchair tennis.
Nomsa Zekevu also won the team manager of the year award for her role in disabled table tennis.
The volunteer of the year award went to Nophandle Mhlawuli. Cricketer Siphelele Mkolweni won the sportsman with disability award while wheelchair basketball player Andiswa Malindi took the sportswoman with disability award.
There were three presidential awards, with the first one going to Luyanda Stofile, a goalball player from Dimbaza who is partially blind.
J D van der Walt, who recently passed away, was also given a presidential award for his role as aquatics development officer at the BCM. Mzingisi Jali was given the last presidential award.
BCM sport council deputy secretary and event organiser Mzuvukile Tempi said the turnout was not what they expected, but everything went ahead as planned.
“This was a success and all the hard work we put into organising this event was evident. We expected about 200 guests, but unfortunately not everybody was able to attend due to other commitments,” said Tempi.
“I’d like to thank our partners – BCM, the department of sport, recreation, arts and culture and Gijima and Xerox – for making this possible for us and we promise that next year this event will be even bigger.”