Pretoria - Sport and Recreation Minister Fikile Mbalula has launched the inaugural National Sports Week.
National Sports Week will be observed from 16 to 22 November.
The Minister said the campaign was important because sport is a significant part of the nation’s culture.
“Sport is a significant part of any nation’s culture, leisure time, health and education. When integrated into the broader framework of development, sport constitutes an important tool for advancing sustainable development in the different sectors of society,” said the Minister.
In the National Development Plan (NDP), sport is recognised as an important pillar in promoting social cohesion and nation building in South Africa.
Sport, said the Minister, has gained the attention of countries as a key contributor to several priorities of government, with world leaders increasingly acknowledging that sport touches every aspect of a nation’s ethos.
“Over the past decade, UN agencies, international sports federations, international non-governmental organisations and grassroots organisations have been using sporting events as tools for social development and peace,” he said.
Minister Mbalula said the intention of the National Sport Week is to inculcate the development of sports; driving business through sport and to foster open communication as a way to overcome the challenges confronting the sporting fraternity.
The activities lined up for the week include the International Sport Exchange Conference that will take place from 15 November to 19 November. The conference will be under the theme ‘Advancing Development and Business through Sport’.
The department will also host the National Sports Industry Exhibition, which will take place from Sunday, 15 November to Wednesday, 18 November. It will showcase the products and programmes available within the sporting fraternity.
“It will further expose the youth and all stakeholders to the entire value chain within the sporting industry and encourage collaboration and maximise networking opportunities,” said the Minister.
The department will hand over equipment to local sport clubs and various schools in the Free State areas of Welkom, Hanover, Botshabelo, Kroonstad and Thaba Nchu.
A ministerial golf day will take place on Friday. The platform is intended to annually provide an opportunity to identify a worthy cause for which the players on the day can help raise funds.
The department will also host the South African Sports Awards, which will take place next Sunday.
“The National Sports Week will culminate in a spectacular showcasing of the best sportsmen and women in South Africa at the South African Sports Awards,” said the Minister. – SAnews.gov.za
