KZN Oldies ready National Golden Games

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KwaZulu-Natal senior citizens are ready to defend their national title when they participate in the 2016 National Golden Games Festival in Polokwane, Limpopo next week. The team will assemble in Newcastle on Saturday, 22 October, and depart the next day to Limpopo.

The Golden Games take place on Monday 24th to Friday, 29 October.

Chairperson of the Senior Citizen Forum, Daphney Memela said Team KZN has finalized its preparations for the championships and players are ready to defend the national title they won last year in Northern Cape.

“I can assure you that all the team members are ready and all preparations are in order. All selected team members are available and are ready to leave for Limpopo. Last weekend we held a camp in Durban. The main aim was to check the state of readiness of the players. We had to prepare them emotionally, so that they are aware that they will be living for Limpopo and to do physical check-ups in order to be sure that they will be able to play,” said Memela.

One of the players, Rama Moodley from Pietermaritzburg under the UMgungundlovu District, who is a soccer player, said his team is ready for the competition and he is personally excited to take the long trip to Polokwane to represent the Province.

Moodley said engaging in sports and living a healthy lifestyle was the best move ever for him, as this helps him stay fit and focused.

“Just to add on how this programme benefits us as oldies, it helps prevents minor illnesses, like flu. It reduces the chances of suffering from high blood pressure, diabetes, etc. It keeps the mind alive and fresh, we become alive emotionally and physically, as it also contributes into our emotions, by keeping us focused and alive. Staying active and engaging in these sporting games for us old people increases the chances of having a longer lifespan, because we now live longer through sport and recreation, through living healthy lifestyles,” concluded Memela.

MEC for Arts, Culture, Sport and Recreation, Bongi Sithole-Moloi, has commended Team KZN members for their dedication and living exemplary lifestyles. “Our youth have a lot to learn from our senior citizens, which is why we must always protect and cherish them. The recognition of senior citizens and protection of their rights is one of government’s priorities. We will continue to work with organisations dealing with elders to ensure that they get opportunities to remain physically active and interact with each other in order to deal with social challenges.”

“We wish the team well at the Golden Games and we are confident that we will defend our title. After all we are an active and winning Province,” said Sithole-Moloi.

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