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.

The latest 2010 Mobilisation Campaign was at Nkandla and eNseleni on the 30th and 31st October respectively.

The two day road-show was hosted jointly by the KZN Department of Sport and Recreation and Sport and Recreation South Africa.

It is one of the government’s initiatives to create public awareness about the forthcoming FIFA 2010 Football World Cup so as to get everyone to support the event and be welcoming to the visitors that will be descending on our shores just in over six month’s time.

The Nkadla event had to be moved from the original venue of eQhudeni village after the rain rendered the area inaccessible. It was then held in central Nkandla town at the municipal grounds.

Nonetheless the event went off successfully and attracted more than the targeted audience of 500- made up of about 400 spectators and guests.

Speaking at the event, the MEC for Arts, Culture, Sport and Recreation, Mrs. Weziwe Thusi re-iterated that the aim of the road shows was to inform the people that 2010 was not only for the host cities, but for everyone.

In her short address the MEC emphasised the government’s commitment to rural development, highlighting some of her Department’s projects in the area. They include at least two constructed grounds with all the facilities and a brand new swimming pool complex, the first in a rural area.

Day to at eNseleni was even much bigger mainly because of the big screen live viewing of the Soweto derby between Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates at the local Mzuvukile stadium.

A “live match atmosphere” prevailed throughout the day.  Thousands of fans of all ages flocked in the grounds much much early in the morning in anticipation of the big match screening in the afternoon.

The event did not disappoint as apart from the live screening of the games, fans were entertained by household township music artists like Big Nuz and professional disc Jockey.

Earlier in the day a huge multi-cultural street parade added helped set the scene and uniqueness to the eNseleni event.  The paraded had a big mobile float with dances waving flags of various nations. Women dressed in traditional attire added an African flavor to the event.

“Together Celebrating Our Heritage, Today, 2010 And Beyond”

It is a growing concern that so many of the world’s precious indigenous belongings are facing extinction. Plants, animals and indigenous knowledge systems are facing the harsh reality of extinction through a combination of man-made causes and in some cases Acts of Nature. Among our precious essentials at risk, is the rich heritage of our South African culture. Our youth are at risk of losing the vision of our forefathers and their strong cultural beliefs and traditions. Left ignored, this will become a serious challenge in our effort to protect our future generations. As the saying goes “the nation that forgets its background will never find its future”.

For this reason the Department of Sport and Recreation initiated the National Indigenous Games in 2003 as part of a mass participation to “Get the Nation to Play” and in doing so protect our heritage from facing extinction in the years to come. The first Games were hosted in Limpopo and thereafter various other provinces played host to the event.This month marks the success of this initiative with the hosting of the 5th Annual Indigenous Games Festival hosted by KwaZulu Natal from the 24th to the 26th of September at the University of KwaZulu-Natal Howard College Sports Grounds.  Nine games that have formed a foundation in the many different cultures of our country will be played, namely; Intonga/Induku, Morabaraba/Umlabalaba, Ncuva, Juskei, Amagende, Kgati/Ingqathu, Khokho, Dibeke, Shumpu and Drie Stokies.

Through these games, the Department has been successful in:

• Preserving and protecting the Indigenous Games
• Promoting inter-community relations and social cohesion within provinces and across the country
• Empowering various sport and recreation associations and federations with sport administration skills
• Facilitating sustainable sport  development and infrastructure;Encouraging active and healthy lifestyles;
• Promoting friendship and a “common goal” orientation among communities through the playing of these games at taxi ranks, community centres and parks, etc.

Teams from all over the country will be arriving in Durban on the 24th of September with high aspirations of not just competing, but also to be a part of this prestigious heritage event.

Approximately 900 athletes, over 200 officials and 400 VIP guests including MEC’s and Premiers are expected to attend. The event officially starts on the 24th of September with an opening ceremony at 18h00 at Gate 10, Howard College Sports Grounds, University of KwaZulu-Natal.
The games commence early on the 25th at 08h00 and run over 2 days. A round-robin system will be played to determine the winning teams in the semi-finals and finals on the 26th of September.
The Games will then be closed with the official closing and award ceremony where the winning teams will be honoured with the prestige of taking home the 2009 Indigenous Games winning trophies and medals.

It is that time of the year again where the province’s schools come together to celebrate the promotion and development of sport under the School Sport Mass Participation Programme (SSMPP) by participating in the SSMPP Provincial Tournament.

The games will take place in Durban over two days from 11-12 September 2009.

SSMPP is a co-operative programme of both the Department of Sport and Recreation and the Department of Education. The programme was introduced as an intervention by government to address the lack of organised sport in rural and urban disadvantaged schools.

A total of 645 schools (360 Primary and 285 secondary) have benefited from the programme since its first implementation in 2005. 

The Provincial Tournament is one of the measures of the success of the Programme.

Qualifying cluster tournaments to determine the winning school (primary/secondary) for soccer, netball and volleyball were held in May, 2009.  These were followed by four regional festivals in August to determine the regional champion school in the three codes.

 The purpose of such tournaments is to afford learners from SSMPP schools with the opportunity to participate competitively from district to provincial level and to identify the champion schools in the various codes.

The primary schools will compete in the under 14 category and the secondary schools in the under 19 category.  Approximately 400 learners and officials will participate in the tournament.

The MEC for Arts, Culture, Sport and Recreation, Mrs. Weziwe Thusi  and many other VIP guests are to attend the opening ceremony  on Thursday, 11, September 2009.

Members of the media are invited to attend and report on the games.

Zintombi is seen with the people who have brought change to her life during the visit to her home.

L-R: Mrs. Sumayya Khan-HoD for Sport and Recreation, Zintombi’s mother Bonisiwe Masinga, Ward Cllr Mrs. Fakalize Khoza , MEC Weziwe Thusi; Zintombi Gina, Umhlathuze Mayor –Cllr Zakhele Mnqayi and Ms Matilda Chiya- District Head for Sport and Recreation in Umhlathuze..

Her home behind them will be demolished and rebuild as part of the legacy for Zintombi’s achievement.

A high achieving but impoverished student from Nseleni, Richards Bay on the KwaZulu-Natal north coast has had her life and that of her family transformed almost overnight through assistance from government.

As the curtain came down on the National Women’s Month, not only did the 22-year old Zintombi Gina receive the news that she has been awarded a scholarship to study in Cuba, but also that the plight of her family will be addressed henceforth.

The miseries of the Gina family in the Mkhoma village of Nseleni hit the MEC for Arts, Culture, Sport and Recreation, Mrs. Weziwe Thusi, in the face when she personally called  to give Zintombi her flight ticket as well as bid her farewell, ahead of her departure for Cuba on Friday, 3 September 2009.

The MEC had brought with her the Umhlathuze Municipality Mayor, Cllr Zakhele Mnqayi, other councilors and departmental officials. 

Poverty was written on face of Zintombi, her mother, siblings and nephews who dwell in a mud house with a rusted metal roof.

Ironically the homestead is hardly a kilometre away from the urbanized township of Nseleni and less those 10 kilometres from one of the country’s richest and fastest growing town of Richards Bay.

Zintombi completed matric four years ago, with no less than 4 distinctions. However her dreams of higher education came to nought because her unemployed mother was unable to afford it. All this is about to change for Zintombi and her family.

An overseas scholarship, a brand new house with furniture and food supplies are but some of the things that hard work and perseverance has brought for Zintombi.

As part of bilateral relations between SA and Cuba, an agreement between Sports and Recreation South Africa (SRSA) and Cuba had been made whereby SA benefits by nominating students to go and study Physical Education and Sport in Cuba for five years.

Earlier this year SRSA requested the provinces to nominate students to benefit from this initiative. The nominations were then forwarded to SRSA for consideration. SRSA has responded to indicate that they had identified 22 year old Zintombi Gina from Enseleni to study in Cuba for the next five years.
 
But what’s even just as nice is that by the time Zintombi returns for holidays, she may not be able to recognise her home. Umhlathuze Mayor Cllr Zakhele Mnqayi said he will canvas local business to build a proper house for the family.

MEC Weziwe Thusi said her staff from both Arts and Culture and Sport and Recreation will buy the family a bedroom suite. The Department of Social Development said it has already enrolled the family in the government food voucher programme.

MEC Thusi and the Umhlathuze Mayor, Cllr Zakhele Mnqayi, brought with them gifts such as groceries, toiletries, stationery and luggage bags and money for the family during the visit.  Local businesswoman Mrs. Glory Biyela presented a clothing voucher of R2000.
 
At present KwaZulu-Natal has 1 other student, who was nominated in 2005 by the province, that is part of this programme.

Premier Zweli Mkhize led the chorus of vuvuzelas to mark 300 days to the FIFA World Cup

The Head of the Department of Sport and Recreation, Mrs Sumayya Khan blows a vuvuzela to mark 300 days To the FiFA World Cup. The chorus was led by the Premier Dr Zweli Mkhize

Several who drove past the SABC‘s regional Headquarters in Durban before midday on Friday the 14th of August might have for a moment thought that they were in midst of a major soccer match. They will be forgiven.  The fanfare of vuvuzelas blasting out their sounds was not made by the ordinary supporters of the game, but the Province’s Number One Supporter, Premier – Dr. Zweli Mkhize, led the chorus.

The province had joined the rest of the country in marking 300 days before the start of the much awaited 2010 FIFA World Cup. Like the vuvuzelas the sound of the message was also loud and clear. It was a moment of excitement for the people of the province.

In line with the slogan “Ready to Host”, speakers including the Premier and the host City’s Mayor Councillor Obed Mlaba - used the event to share the latest information on the province’s preparations to host the world’s biggest sporting event.

Lending support with facts and figures was also the City Manager - Dr. Mike Sutcliffe 2010 LOC representative Ms Tumi Dlamini and a representative of the SABC. Preparations were revealed to be on track and ahead of schedule in many cases.

Mayor Mlaba said that the Moses Mabhida Stadium – a venue for one of the semi finals – will be ready for the end October handing over. The hand over might be marked with the staging of a major soccer match to test the new city landmark.Other projects including the upgrades of the roads and the beachfront which will house Durban’s official 2010 FIFA’s World Cup Fan Park were also progressing well.

Dr. Mkhize reported that the new King Ushaka International Airport will be completed in March next year in time for the World Cup. The airport is expected to boost tourism because many international tourists will for the first time be able to fly directly here “without being worried about another province” - joked the Premier.

Fundamentally, the Premier said the FIFA 2010 “has nothing to do with FIFA or with football.” He said it has to do with the people of this country and everything after 2010. “We are looking at beyond and what will happen thereafter, “he said. The Premier said South Africa was fortunate that it will host 2010 right in the middle of a recession.

He said the World Cup said the impact of 2010 is that if will uplift the national mood as well as inject money into the economy.

The good public response to the Mandela Day celebrations by the KZN Department of Sport and Recreation went far beyond expectation.
 
The events, comprising a soccer tournament and boxing, went by the theme “Preserving Mandela’s Legacy in Sport” for the event.

Despite short notice, the SJ Smith stadium was packed to capacity during the football tournament which kicked off the activities of the day.

A feast of four football matches could not have come at a better time as the soccer season was still in a recess. There was a drought of goals though with the final match being decided on penalties as well.

The only visitors, Free State Stars, went away with the trophy after beating “giant killers” Nathi Lions at the sudden death stage of the penalty shoot-out.

First Division side, Nathi Lions, had earlier embarrassed Maritzburg United 2-1 at the knock–out stage to advance to the finals, and favourites AmaZulu FC also bowed out early to Free State Stars on penalties.

Maritzburg was consoled when it beat AmaZulu on penalties in the loser’s final, to take the third place.

Boxing at Victoria Mxenge Indoor Sports Centre at Umlazi later did not disappoint either. The fights included both professional and amateur bouts. Young female boxers, mainly from Umlazi and Cato Ridge, also took to the ring.

The full results for the professional bouts were as follows: Jerome Cebekhulu of KwaMashu bt Khethukuthula Cele of Tongaat on points; Sibongiseni Dlamini of Enseleni bt Blessing “Body Puncher” Mkhwanazi of Empangeni (TKO); George Mdluli of Mhlabuyalingana bt Moses Mazive of Msinga (TKO); Cebo Ngema bt Mlindazwe Luzipho (TKO); Thami Mntambo of Mandeni bt Innocent Mantengu of Mtubatuba (points); Siyabonga Mtshali of Ulundi bt Xolani Mkhize of Cato Ridge (TKO).

Local boy Simphiwe “Ntelezi” Mthethwa provided one of the most entertaining fights when he beat Sibusiso Gumede of Cato Ridge.  Another entertaining fight produced no winner between Amon “Bazzooka” Baloyi of Limpompo and local boxer S’celo “4Sure’ Mzobe. They played to a draw.

In the main bout Xolani “Lundimhlabathi” Mvubu, of Ulundi, has been crowned the new KZN Junior Middleweight Champion after stopping Montana Ngcobo in the 8th round.

July is Horse Racing month in KwaZulu-Natal.

With the Durban July still fresh in the minds of many, focus now shifts to the Rural Horse Festival.

Held on the last Saturday of July every year, the Premiére Rural Horse Riding event will be held on 25 July at its traditional venue in Dundee in northern KwaZulu-Natal.  This will be the fifth edition of the event revived by the provincial government in 2005.

The Premier, as a patron and custodian of the event, has always attended the function.

A number of prominent public fiqures including the MEC for Arts, Culture, Sport and Recreation,  Mrs Weziwe Thusi, traditional leaders and senior municipal leaders and officials will also grace the race.

The spectators who will be coming from all over the province can expect many exciting activities associated with the race, according to Mike Mthembu- the event’s Programme Manager.

Mthembu says the sleepy coal mining town of Dundee will come alive this coming week-end from Friday as the race wil be preceeded by a street parade of almost 200 contesting horses.

The parade on Friday will commence at 14h00 in front of the Dundee Municipal offices.

The race has grown bigger over the years. It began as a KwaZulu-Natal race but the festival has now become a national and even an international event in terms of participation.

Participants will come from other provinces like the Free State, North West and neighboring countries Botswana and Lesotho.

Mthembu said the stake money has increased six fold from the initial R15 000 to R90 000, thanks to the generosity of  major sponsors Gold Circle, Orange Grove Dairies and Harness Racing.

The Umzinyathi District Municipaliy and the Ndumeni Local Municipality have again come on board with a combined sponsorship amounting to more that R230 000, according to Mthembu. The municipalities are also responsible for infrastructure and logistics. 

As with other major races, the Rural Horse Riding Festival in Dundee will not only be about the horses. Fashion will also add to the excitement of the Day.  Young designers who have participated in major events, including the Durban July, will be there to showcase their exquisite wears.

Mthembu said people can expect a traditional flavor in all activities of the day, including music and dance. 

The Rural Horse Riding event has also attracted interest from countries as far afield as Sweden, France and Australia.  Talks with these countries about possible funding, co-operation and exchange programmes are at an advanced stage.

Participants in the race are already reaping the benefits of the initiative, flowing from the partnership forged with Harness Horse Riding in particular. Some of the rural jockeys have been featured at Harness Racing events in Durban.

One such participant is Nkululeko Kunene who will be leaving for Sweden at the end of the month to do farrier training, a horse-care discipline. He is jointy sponsored by the Department of Sport and Recreation and Harness Racing.

Mr Mthembu says the ultimate objective is for the race to become a professional event with revenue generation and job creation.

The MEC for Arts, Culture, Sport and Recreation, Mrs Weziwe Thusi, has comemmended the involvement of certain private sector stakeholders in the development of sport.  The MEC’s comments follow the successful conclusion of what has been described as the biggest township cricket tournament in the country.

The Sunfoil Township Cricket Tournament was held from the 27th June-08 July at venues in Umlazi, Newlands and Kwa-Mashu.  The tourney involved around 600 players from the Under 13, Under 15 and Under 19 divisions from almost all of Durban’s townships as far afield as Mpumalanga and teams representing Uthungulu, Ilembe and Pietermaritzburg.  

MEC Thusi said that the sponsorship gave true meaning and life to the government’s belief that “together we can do more“.  She said the tournament should be the forerunner of many future tournaments, and the government was looking forward to partner with the KZN Cricket Union and the private sector to ensure that this happens.

The tournament was viewed as sufficiently important to Cricket South Africa whose President, Dr Mtutuzeli Nyoka, flew down to give words of ecouragement to the aspirant future stars.

Dr Nyoka told the youngsters that an abundance of opportunities awaits them in the new South Africa if they work hard.

The CEO for the KZN Cricket Union, Mr Cassim Docrat, also thanked the sponsors, Willlowton Oil and Cake Mills, for their genorosity, saying the tournament has “helped expose many new talents who would one day become the stars of the province’’.

Twenty of the tournament’s best players were selected to form the new township cricket club. Previous township clubs are said to have done well against some of the best schools‘ cricket teams and have opened doors to greener pastures including scholarships for these disadvantaged players.