Stage is set to honour metro’s top sport stars

It’s all systems go for the first annual Buffalo City Metro Sports Awards set to be staged a Buffalo Park Stadium on Saturday evening.

Event organiser Mzuvukile Tempi said everything was in order for the ceremony that is meant to honour outstanding athletes in the city. He said all the delegates and nominees invited would be in East London by Friday evening.

“The confirmations from people attending were still coming in on Friday, but we are confident that everyone that has been invited will grace this event.

“Our guest speaker will be the department of sport, recreation, arts & culture MEC Bulelwa Tunyiswa,” said Tempi.

“Buffalo City Metro mayor Xola Pakati will be welcoming everyone to the event as we are hosted in his city.”

SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) president Gideon Sam will be among the dignitaries.

“We’ve invited our very own Gideon Sam and Sascoc board member Kaya Majeke, who is also from our shores, to come and celebrate with these athletes as well.

“And I must say that I’m happy with the preparations. This will be a night to remember for the athletes we are honouring,” said Tempi.

He said they would also be honouring the Buffalo City Sports Club that went to play at the Samsa Games that were recently held in Swaziland.

“I think about six of our teams that were there came back home with gold medals.

“There’s things on wheelchair many clubs doing great behalf of BCM, like the basketball teams at the Vukuhambe Special School in Mdantsane.

“They will be representing the disabled community at the awards because they deserve to be honoured.

“But we decided to leave those guys that have achieved so much and got big awards, like Zolani Tete and others to focus on those up-and-coming stars in our city.”

Buffalo City has 18 sports confederations and 50 local sports councils. Tempi said roping them in would make a huge difference in recognising those athletes in the community that deserve to be honoured.