“Sports are activities that combine physical and mental exertion combined skills to allow individuals or teams to compete against one another or others for entertainment, such Netball, Cricket or Soccer.”
We recently sat down with Mr Thando Mboxhwana (district manager at Lejweleputswa’s community sports from the department of sports, recreation and art culture) at the government inter-departmental year-end function 2016 on the 02nd December that was held at Griffons Stadium (Bedelia) in Welkom. We asked him a couple of questions concerning the programmes that their office is running especially those that involve rural towns. and this is what he had to say.
Q: What is the responsibility of the department in terms of promoting social cohesion, nation building, patriotism, community engagement and leadership and not forgetting sports development programmes?
A: The Department is doing a lot and amongst the many is the following:
1. We have a unit dealing only with schools and community sports,
2. Sports science institute that deals with neat athletes to mention
one Nick Van Niekerk.
3. Youth camp
4. Golden games (Indigenous games) our focus its more senior citizens.
5. OR Tambo games
6. Rural Sport it’s a new programme from the minister of sports recreation and art culture where the focus is only based on farms schools.
Further along the interview, we asked him about the Youth Out of Schools programmes as they could contribute a lot to de-escalating the crime rate in our communities and what is the department planned with regards to those programmes.
A: There are external/NG federations that the department is working with that have identified clubs within their respective communities and we support them with capacity buildings, equipment and the Municipalities provide them with facilities as we have partnered with all local Municipalities to make sure that our programmes are a success.
Participating in sports will help in keeping young people out of trouble and also keep them fit at the same time, will also assist in helping to reduce high rate of unnecessary sicknesses. It is important to bring back the culture of sports in rural communities. In communities like Monyakeng where there are no facilities, he mentioned that municipalities play a vital role in making sure that young people are delivered to their various hubs by providing them with transport.
It is also important that municipalities must make sure that their facilities are in good condition for the sake of young people’s talent, you’d find out that there are many kids who wants to play sports but because of a lack of support from their municipalities It becomes a huge problem because they end up committing crimes unnecessary.
Moreover the department is getting a grant from COGTA (Corporate Governance and Traditional Affairs) called Municipality Infrastructure. The grant’s aim is to make sure that new facilities are built and to work on fixing the old ones, for example, if grass, poles and lights are needed. It is the Municipality’s responsibility to make sure that 15% of the grant goes to sports development.
Contact details:
Cell: 0840505883
Twitter: @nishbirb
FB: Thando Thato Mboxhwana
