The DSR National Youth Run will again this year form part of the build up to the Comrades Marathon.

The MEC for of Arts, Culture, Sport & Recreation - Mrs Weziwe Thusi – has announced her department’s decision to continue the sponsorship of the race.  Last year the MEC amazed the media and participants by taking part in the race from start to finish.

“This year’s event will be even more exciting as it falls within the FIFA World Cup period. It should target Mass Mobilisation ,” said MEC Thusi.

Scheduled for 29th May 2010, the DSR National Youth Run serves as a curtain-raiser to the Comrades Marathon. Whilst it targets the youth, it also serves as a warm-up for adult athletes who would be taking part in the Comrades Marathon the following day.  There is a 5 km Run/Walk as well as a 10 Km Run/walk event.

The race will be in its third year of running since it was established. The Department has always been its sole sponsor.  Further, young athletes with potential from indigent backgrounds and the furthest parts of the province are being catered for by the Department in terms of transport, accommodation, meals and their admission fees in the race. The Youth Run is being managed by the KwaZulu-Natal Athletics (KZNA) in conjunction with the Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) on behalf of the Department.

All athletes are encouraged to enter and entries are open at the KZN Athletics offices. The minimum age for the 5km run is 9years while the 10km race minimum age is 15 years.

Participation is mainly canvassed through schools around the province. Entries will be accepted until Wednesday 26th May at the offices of the KwaZulu-Natal Athletics at Kings Park Athletic’s Stadium and again at the Comrades Marathon Expo on Thursday 27 and Friday 28th May.

Schools are encouraged to enter as many athletes as possible as they stand a chance to cash in on the many incentives, courtesy of the Department of Sport and Recreation.  There are prizes for the schools with the most number of finishers and for individual top runners.  A school with the most finishers in both the 10km and the 5km event will receive an exciting prize of R10 000.

The first boy and girl to cross the finish line will receive R1000.00 each, and prizes are open up to the top ten runners.

In addition to the prize money, the Department will sponsor at least 4 buses to transport some of the participating learners from further afar districts that are known to have produced roadrunners.

KZNA said it was hoping to double last year’s number of 3000 participants to at least 6000 this year.

The race details are as follow:

DATE    : Saturday 29th May 2010
TIME     : 09H00-11H00
VENUE : Hoy Park, Durban
              Entrance via Somtseu Road

Meanwhile, the Department of Sport and Recreation is again sponsoring the Comrades Runners Village. The initiative affords athletes from the underprivileged areas transport, decent accommodation and meals while they participate in the race.

However, KZNA which manages the project on behalf of the departments says applications to Village closed on the 3rd of May.

It is not easy to find the most fitting words to describe the magnitude of the success and fun of the 3rd Interdepartmental Games in Pietermaritzburg this past week-end.

The level of participation, commitment, the quality and the standard of the games, the jovial mood and entertainment all pointed to the fact that government employees/officials really embraced the programme.    

The 2nd Interdepartmental Games at the Harry Gwala Sports Complex on Friday to Saturday brought together employees of all KZN Provincial Government Departments, some national Departments, as well as parastals in the name of sport for fun and enjoyment. In total there were twenty departmental teams participating in different codes including football for both males  and females, netball, volleyball, 5km fun walk/run, tug-o-war and indigenous games.

At least five MEC’s attended the opening ceremony. The MEC for Health Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo kept his promise and not only did he attend the following day but took part in the fun run as well as the exciting aerobics exercise. 

The advent of the FIFA world cup added a new dimension to this year’s Interdepartmental as each of the participating departments had adopted a participating country in the World Cup.  Their creativity was displayed in the team parade during the opening ceremony on Friday afternoon with the teams brandishing the flags and colours of their chosen countries. The MECs who were present led their respective departments in song and dance.

The interdepartmental Games are a provincial programme that is coordinated by an Inter-Departmental Games Committee chaired by the Department of Sport and Recreation.

They form part of the larger Work and Play Wellness Programme (WPWP), a programme which seeks to encourage active, healthy and productive public employees.
A provincial policy is being created in consultation with other Departments. A framework for a Wellness Wednesday programme is also in the process of being developed to ensure sustainability.

As co-ordinators, the Department of Sport and Recreation would like to thank all the participants as well as their Departments and parastals that make it possible for them to be part of this exciting event.

A special word of appreciation also goes to the growing number of corporate partners who came on board to support this important government initiative.  They include Old Mutual, GEMS, Virgin Active, Capitec Bank and Xerox.

THE RESULTS:

Soccer Males   1 - Correctional Services  
                       2 - SA Police Force (SAPF)

Soccer Females   1 - SAPF
                           2 - Education

Volleyball mixed 1 - SAPF
                         2 - Education
                         3 - Correctional Services

Netball   1 - Sport and Recreation (DSR)
             2 - Social Development
             3 - Health

Relay Males  1 - Correctional Services
                    2 - Health
                    3 - Arts and Culture

Relay Females  1 - DSR
                        2 - SAPF
                        3 - Arts and Culture

Indigenous Games

Tug-of-war mixed 1 - Correctional services
                          2 - Department of Justice
                          3 - Department of Public Works

Induku Males  1 - Department of Justice
                     2 - Department of Human Settlements
                     3 - DSR

Induku Females  1 - Department of Public Works
                         2 - DSR
                         3 - Department of Human Settlements

Umlabalaba - Males 1 - Correctional Services
                              2 - Department of Public Works
                              3 - COGTA

Umlabalaba - Females 1 - Department of Correctional Services
                                  2 - Department of Human Settlement
                                  3 - Department of Public Works

Fun run/walk Males 1 - C Ngubane ( Transport)
                             2 - N Zondi ( Premier's Office)
                             3 - V Anley ( COGTA)

Fun run/walk Females  1 - S Williams (Sport and Recreation)
                                  2 - A Mzile (Correctional Services)
                                  3 - N Ntombela (Education)

OVERALL WINNERS BY

In terms of the above point allocation, the overall winners were there for as follows:

1st – Department of Correctional Services: 26 points
2nd – SAPF: 16 points
3rd – Department of Sport and Recreation: 14 points

Point allocation    -   First place      : 5 points
                              Second place  : 3 points
                              Third place      : 1 point

This is a provincial programme that is coordinated by an Inter-Departmental Games Committee chaired by the Department of Sport and Recreation.

It was first launched by the Premier, Dr. ZL Mkhize in 2009, where he instructed that this should be a yearly programme supported by ongoing sustainable programmes.

BACKGROUND

Work and Play Wellness Programme (WPWP) is a provincial programme which seeks to encourage active, healthy and productive public employees.
A national study (2005) conducted by the National Department of Sport and Recreation showed that only 25% South Africans engage regularly in physical activities.
The white paper on Sport and Recreation (1998) also states that “sport can contribute to lowering tension, fatigue and general anxiety in the workplace and increase productivity.”  It proposes that workers clubs be introduced to facilitate participation.

An interdepartmental workshop held in Durban in July 2008 found that most of the departments did not have structured regulated programmes in place.  Most conducted once off events.
In some departments programmes were not linked to the Employee Assistant Programme (EAP) which meant that there was no formal support from management.
Departments also seemed to lack expertise, equipment and facilities to present programmes on a sustainable basis.

This programme is therefore part of the health and wellness initiatives. It creates greater employee awareness and participation.

The 2nd INTER-DEPARTMENTAL GAMES

The 2nd Inter-Departmental games are scheduled to take place on the 14-15 May 2010 at Harry Gwala Stadium in Pietermaritzburg. 

An opening ceremony is envisaged on 14/05/2010 at 17h00.  The games will kickoff the same day, featuring football, netball, 5km fun walk, volleyball, indigenous games and performing arts .  All MECs are requested to take part in the opening ceremony. 

The semifinals and finals are expected to be played on Saturday 15 /05/2010.

The launch of the programme will ensure that the National Health and Wellness Strategy and the provisions of the Sport and Recreation Act of 1998 are implemented. Some of the key benefits that will accrue from this initiative will include:

• Reduced lost working hours due to absenteeism and illness
• Healthier employees promote better productivity.
• Greater networking and co-operations amongst Departments.

The programme is expected to benefit 30 000 personnel yearly.  Employees are expected to partake in activities such as football, netball, relay, dance, athletics, indigenous games and performing arts.

A provincial policy is being created in consultation with other Departments. A framework for a Wellness Wednesday programme is also in the process of being developed to ensure sustainability.

COMMUNICATION

Communication shall be coordinated by DSR and Office of the Premier.

The Newcastle activation campaign took the form of a road-show.

The road to Newcastle began at Durban station with the cutting of a giant cake depicting 50 Days to go. Many of the guests including musicians and journalists then embarked on a whole night luxury train journey to Newcastle.

In the morning in Newcastle they were joined on a road-show by some of Durban’s hottest musicians.

The road show began with a brief performance and prize give-aways at the Newcastle taxi rank.

The dignitaries led by the MEC for Arts, Culture, Sport and Recreation then proceeded to Madadeni and Osizweni Township to plant trees along the main road and at two local schools Phendukahi High and Masihambisane Primary as part of the greening project

The crusade then moved to the main 2010 Mass Mobilisation event at Osizweni sport ground where as many as 7 000 enthusiastic crowd waited.

Speeches were kept to an absolute minimum as entertainment was the main order of the day.

The featured artists did not disappoint too. They included the hot favorites Big Nuz who have just won three SAMA Awards, Msawawa, Tizzozo and Professor, the Babes, L'vovo, DJ Bongz, DJ Oros and many others.

MEC Thusi urged those who have not bought the match tickets to hasten to do so. She also mentioned that the Newcastle area was very significant as it has produced many soccer and musical icons including the late Bafana Bafana star, Sizwe Motaung and reggae king Lucky Dube, Sizwe Motaung and others. 
 
This was one of the biggest activation campaigns, when judging by the huge crowd that attended. An estimated 7000 spectators attended.

The huge turnout was a clear indication that the Newcastle people cannot wait for the world's biggest sporting event to start.

With the 2010 FIFA Football World Cup ™ a mere four months away, the country’s preparations for the international event have entered an exciting and festive phase.

Alongside the frenetic activity across the nation to put all the final touches in place for the massive soccer frenetic, school children country-wide have started their own football “world cup” tournament that is modeled on the Fifa event.

In KwaZulu-Natal, the KZN Department of Sport and Recreation has partnered with the Department of Education, the Ethekwini Municipality and SAFA to stage the KZN 2010 Provincial Football Festival, which is scheduled to take place this month from Friday 26 to Sunday 28 in Durban. The KZN event will also include a Provincial Under-19 Tournament that will run at the same time.

This schools football festival is part of the My 2010 School Adventure programme. It is similar to the programme that was undertaken during the hosting of the Confederations Cup, and aims to prepare young people for the Fifa World Cup ™, not only through their active participation in the sport, but also by developing understanding of the diverse world we live in.

“The initiative was also aimed at luring school children away from the streets and inappropriate habits, and encouraging them to engage in healthy lifestyles,” explains the MEC for Arts, Culture, Sport and Recreation, Mrs. Weziwe Thusi.

Targeting Primary and Secondary level learners between the ages of 14 and 18, the initiative also mobilise and increases awareness among these young footballers (boys and girls), educators and the broader school community of the importance of hosting the World Cup. To this end the soccer festival coincides with similar events taking place in provinces across the country, and will culminate in the national Schools World Cup finals in May. 

The competition is modeled on the format of the actual 2010 Football World Cup, with schools competing in different streams in their areas, followed by the knock-outs.

Preliminary school games have just started at local level, and will have progressed to district level in time for the provincial finals. In the February 26-28 provincial games, each district will be represented by two primary and two secondary school teams (both girls and boys footballers). The four top teams will then represent KwaZulu-Natal at the National Schools Football World Cup competition in May.

At that event the teams will cease to compete under their school banners and assume the identities of four nations, namely Paraguay, Cameroon, Algeria and Greece. They will be flying the national flags of those countries, singing their national anthems and engaging in activities such as preparing the national foods of the country they represent.

ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF SPORT AND RECREATION

Contact person- Bheki Ncube 031 360 6377/49  or 082 575 4164

The Provincial Department of Sport and Recreation has ensured that MTN 8 Champion’s Lamontville Golden Arrows received a heroes’ welcome when they returned home on Monday after upsetting Ajax Cape Town 6-0 in the final of Africa’s richest competition.

The MEC for Arts, Culture, Sport and Recreation, Mrs Weziwe Thusi, Premier Dr Zweli Mkhize, Ethekwini Mayor Obed Mlaba and Deputy Loggie Naidoo were at hand to receive the players, technical team and management at Durban International Airport just before midday.

Hundreds of supporters and well-wishers sang and danced as their heroes emerged from the foyer with their first ever valuable silverware. 

The MEC, Premier and other VIP guests boarded the “Ricksha bus” with the team for a street parade that took them to the townships and Durban city centre.

The team was received warmly by scores of old and apparently newly-made fans and passers-by at Umlazi. But it was at home, Lamontville where they received the loudest cheers.

The day ended with a government-sponsored dinner at the Durban city hall where MEC Weziwe Thusi presented the team and coach Manqoba Mnqithi with certificates of appreciation.

The MEC also used the opportunity to recognise the achievement of Inkonkoni Primary School of Umlazi in winning the Schools Confederations Cup’s under 14 category earlier this year.

It was not for the fist time that the Department of Sport and Recreation had given support to the Golden Arrows. The Department had ensured support for players away from home by buses to ferry their fans to Orlando stadium for the final.