2017 Salga-KZN DSR Games kick off in Richards Bay

The KwaZulu-Natal SALGA-KZN DSR Games 2017 got underway on Friday, 08/12/17, after they were declared officially opened by MEC for Arts, Culture, Sport and Recreation, Bongi Sithole-Moloi, in Richards Bay, on the KZN north Coast.

The Games give thousands of young people from throughout the Province an opportunity to showcase their talent in different sport codes. Codes being played include athletics, football, boxing, chess, cricket, dance, basketball, golf, indigenous games, karate, netball, rugby, swimming, table tennis, tennis and volleyball.

The KZN Department of Sport and Recreation is the main financial and technical supporter of the games, with an investment of R6.7 million for this year alone. The Games are delivered in partnership with the South African Local Government Association in KZN, as well as the different District Municipalities.

The SALGA-KZN DSR Games are arguably the county’s largest developmental games that bring together all KZN 11 districts including eThekwini Metro, with over 4 000 participants competing in 17 sporting codes, including football, rugby, tennis, swimming, athletic, indigenous games and many others.

The first Games were held over 15 years ago with just two codes of sport, and has grown significantly over the years

The programme was initiated to address a very serious concern around the youth not engaging in physical activity. The Games are credited for exposing talent from the outlying areas of all district municipalities in the Province. Many prominent current and former athletes particularly in football and boxing are the products of the tournament. Other broad objectives of the SALGA KZN DSR Games include promoting social cohesion and enhance cooperation between the different districts municipalities through sport and recreation. Over the years, the games have also helped facilitate the development and utilization of sustainable sports infrastructure within district municipalities.