Johannesburg - All sporting activities, including the Premier Soccer League (PSL) games, will start with the South African national anthem in honour of the late former President Nelson Mandela.
“All our teams participating in championships in honouring the mourning period of Madiba’s death, will wear arm belts, sing the national anthem and observe a moment of silence before kick-off of their respective games,” said Sport and Recreation Minister Fikile Mbalula on Saturday.
He was paying tribute to Madiba on behalf of the sporting fraternity at the SASCOC house.
“All the captains of the participating teams will convey messages of condolences to the Madiba family and the people of South Africa,” he said, adding that all upcoming games will honour Mandela’s memory and his legacy.
Mbalula said all the entertainment activities should be organised in a manner that exhibit people and the nation in mourning.
He said on the day of the funeral, Sunday, 15 December, no PSL match or any other sporting code activity would be played.
“On the state funeral day of the departed former President, no games should be played. As the department, we’ve also decided to cancel the scheduled official opening ceremony of the National School Sport League which was clashing with the memorial service on Tuesday,” he said.
Mbalula said South Africans should not see the passing on of Madiba as the end, but as the beginning of a new chapter.
Arts and Culture Minister Paul Mashatile said: “South Africa will remain a great nation because some of us, who had an opportunity to be taught his values, are committed to follow his footsteps to build a prosperous non-racial South Africa.
Deputy Sport and Recreation Minister Gert Oosthuizen said he will remember Mandela as anti-apartheid activist who choose peace over war, love over hatred.
Orlando Pirates chairman, Irvin Khoza said some of the lessons he learnt from Madiba are embracing people of racial groups, love and humanity.
Zane Moosa, who played for Mamelodi Sundowns, said: “Madiba’s humanity and love for people irrespective of their race actually changed my life; hence I’m able to speak some of the indigenous languages.”
Former Orlando Pirates defender, who also earned seven caps for Bafana Bafana between 1994 and 1995, scoring two goals, Edward Motale said: “What I’ve learnt from Madiba is that he used to value and recognise our achievements both at the club and national team level.
“When I won the championship with Orlando Pirates, Madiba invited us to the National Assembly, where he praised us in front of the Parliamentarians. This encouraged us to win the African Nations Cup (AFCON) in 1996, just to make him happy.” - SAnews.gov.za
