Metro will host Tshwete Games
Amid the municipality workers protests that has seen many areas experiencing an interruption of their supply of basic needs like water and electricity, Buffalo City Metro says it’s ready to host the 2018 Steve Vukile Tshwete Games that are set to kick off in East London on Wednesday.
This was announced at the SVT game’s official media briefing that was held at the Guild Theatre on Monday, where the department of sport, recreation, arts & culture MEC, Bulelwa Tunyiswa, BCM portfolio head for sport and special programmes councillor Xolani Witbooi, and Salga’s provincial executive officer Gcinikhaya Mpumza addressed reporters.
Tunyiswa, who could not hide her excitement, said that the purpose of these games was to promote and encourage mass participation in sport, especially in the rural and impoverished areas.
“These games afford the youth an opportunity to live a healthy and active lifestyle in sport, which will assist in keeping them away from crime and other socials ills,” said Tunyiswa.
“The games are held annually so as to identify new sporting talents, and also use this platform to identify players that might represent the province at the national games.
“They are named after Steve Vukile Tshwete, who was the champion of sport development to the youth of Eastern Cape.”
Tunyiswa said that it was with excitement that BCM would be hosting the SVT games for the second year running.
“These games are very important to us because they take place during the centenary of Tata Nelson Mandela and Mama Albertina Sisulu.”
Witbooi said the city had the relevant contingency plans to avoid any disruption that might occur during the three-day sporting extravaganza.
“We are having oversight visits, and even those workers that are protesting are our own employees [BCM].
“There are internal arrangements that are managing the situation [protests around Buffalo City], but also we have agreed that if this strike continues from now to Wednesday, we are going to use an alternative venue, which is West Bank Prison,” said Witbooi.
We are having oversight visits, and even those workers that are protesting are our own employees [BCM]