EThekwini Municipality warmly welcomes thousands of KZN youth participating in SALGA-KZN DSR Games
THOUSANDS of KwaZulu-Natal youth are due to descend to the eThekwini Municipality to showcase their sporting talents. Thanks to SALGA-KZN DSR Games to be hosted by the City on 12 and 15 December.
Preparations are already at an advanced stage for the unparalleled sports festival. Participating in the latter, are teams from all 11 district municipalities. The games comprise 16 sporting codes to be played at various venues around the City. The Games will attract over 4000 participants, including players, coaches, managers and technical officials.
This sports extravaganza is as a result of a partnership between the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) and the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Sport and Recreation (DSR). It is staged annually on a rotational basis, with district municipalities taking turns to be hosts.
Launched in 1998 they have produced household names in the form of Comrades Marathon multiple winner, Bongmusa Mthembu. Football players such as Siyabonga Sangweni, Siyabonga Nkosi, Amanda Dlamini and Veronica Phewa were not spared by the positive impact these games have in the lives of aspiring athletes.
MEC for Arts, Culture, Sport and Recreation, Hlengiwe Mavimbela said the Games are in line with the Department’s vision of creating an active and winning KwaZulu-Natal.
“By hosting the games in partnership with SALGA KZN, the Department of Sport and Recreation is giving opportunities to thousands of young people who participate at all levels. Selections for the Games involve youth from Ward and local municipality levels before teams are selected to represent the different districts. This is part of our programme to identify, nurture and develop talent. We are expecting talent scouts to attend the games in order to identify talented youth for further development,” she said.
The eThekwini Municipality has assured organisers that all sport facilities are ready for the SALGA-KZN DSR Games tournament. Entrance to watch the games is free and no dangerous weapons will be allowed in all facilities. The City estimates that about 1 200 jobs are expected to be created. The hospitality industry stand to rake in a considerable amount of revenue as most of the hotels are fully booked.
Members of the media are cordially invited to attend the opening ceremony for the games due to be held at Durban’s New Beach at 15h00 on Thursday, 12 December. The ceremony will be preceded by a parade through the streets of Durban by the participating Districts teams. It will start outside the City Hall at 13:00.
The closing ceremony will take place on 15 December at Inkosi Albert Luthuli Durban International Convention Centre at 14:00.
For transport and other logistical arrangements media can contact Khaya Sengani, at khayelihle.sengani@durban.gov.za, 083 339 6065.
Ends
For more information contact Media Liaison Officer, Phathisa Mfuyo, 073 129 3378.
Issued by the SALGA-KZN DSR Games organizing committee.
For enquiries contact:
Thabo Mofokeng: 082 731 7456 or email thabo.mofokeng@kzndsr.gov.za;
Bheki Ncube: 082 575 4164 or email bheki.ncube@kzndsr.gov.za;
Msawakhe Mayisela: 0609664220 or email msawakhe.mayisela@durban.gov.za;
Sthe Dube: 071 875 0157 or email pdube@salga.org.za;
Khaya Sengani: 083 339 6065 or email khayelihle.sengani@durban.gov.za;
