Eswatini has talent – Minister Madze
MBABANE – The Ministry of Sports, Culture and Youth Affairs has expressed its excitement over the achievements made by the country, over the past two years.
These sentiments were expressed by the Minister of Sports, Culture and Youth Affairs, Harries ‘Madze’ Bulunga, while delivering his key note address at the National Sports Awards at Happy Valley Hotel in Ezulwini yesterday. Bulunga said it gave him great pleasure to celebrate the shining stars across various sporting codes after the ceremony was disturbed by COVID-19 in the past years.
“As we all know, the National Sports Awards are a platform for celebrating and cherishing excellence by our athletes and other sports practitioners. These are athletes and practitioners who have defied odds, swam against tides, jumped over perceived insurmountable hurdles and fought gallantly to make the country proud. I stand here proud of the excellent performance displayed by some of our athletes in international competitions over the past two years, starting with Team Eswatini bringing home a total of five gold medals from the AUSC (Africa Union Sports Council) Region V Games in Lesotho in 2021,” the minister said.
He highlighted numerous milestones made by athletics and their clubs as well as other sports associations that include podium finish since 2021. “These results are all a demonstration that Eswatini has talent. More than talent; we have determined athletes that are willing to defy all odds to become the best in the global space despite numerous challenges that we encounter as a small economy. Let us continue to support our athletes and inspire them to do even better,” stressed the minister, who is also Mbabane East Member of Parliament (MP).
Cooperation
He appreciated and encouraged the smooth cooperation existing between the Eswatini Sports and Recreation Council (ESRC) and Eswatini Olympic Commonwealth Games Association (EOCGA), which he said had led to the transfer of Team Eswatini for the Region V Games to its rightful home. “I would like to specifically appreciate the current Boards of both organisations for facilitating this seamless relationship and encourage incoming Boards to continue strengthening and consolidating this cooperative agreement as this will solidify sport in Eswatini. Coming back to today’s event. Allow me to congratulate each and every one of today’s winners, taking note of the old adage that says: ‘The eminence of winners is judged by the quality of the losers’. In this regard, allow me to say, all the nominees for this exercise are in essence winners,” he said.
He also expressed that the winners were well-deserving of the accolades, as they were selected through a process that was transparent and fair.
Meanwhile, ESRC Board Chairman Celucolo ‘Dino’ Dlamini emphasised that the national sports awards were one of the initiatives the council executed under the national sports rewards programme. “The honourable minister would note that the council, on behalf of the ministry, gives out varying incentives for all medals achieved by our athletes at recognised international competitions, that is, regional, continental and global. This gesture is then punctuated biennially with the national sports awards, which pick from the pool of medallists the cream of the crop for the various categories,” said Dlamini.
He then thanked government for continued support that enables them to implement the sports awards for sports development. He also seized the moment and thanked government for the increased sports budget, which also gave them a lion’s share in the allocation.
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