Youth gear up for games

THE Eastern Cape provincial and local government will host the provincial sporting games known as the Steve Vukile Tshwete (SVT) Games in East London, from Wednesday to December 1.

The purpose of the games is to encourage and promote mass participation in sport, especially in disadvantage communities. It is also affords the youth an opportunity to live healthy and active lifestyles, which which will assist in keeping them away from crime and other social ills.

Furthermore, the SVT games aspires to promote sound inter-governmental relationships, local economic development and social cohesion between districts by using sport as a vehicle to forge new partnerships and strengthen existing relationships.

The games are named after Steve Vukile Tshwete who was the champion of sport development to the youth of the Eastern Cape and played a significant role in the unification of sport in the country, particularly rugby.

An estimated 1500 young players from eight districts were selected through a qualification process involving games played in their local municipalities and districts to form a final squad that will represent their district at provincial level.

The sporting codes are namely; netball, volleyball, rugby, table tennis, football, boxing and goal ball.

The games are held annually so as to identify new sporting talent and this platform is also used to identify players who might represent the province at the national games.

The official opening of the SVT Games will be at the Buffalo City Stadium, East London at 5pm on Tuesday.