SA’s top drummies set for Eastern Cape

Thousands of majorettes and cheerleaders from around SA are headed to a game reserve outside East London for a national championship “like no other”.

For the first time in almost 20 years, the South African Majorette and Cheerleading Association (Samca) national championships will be taking place in the Eastern Cape.

Inkwenkwezi Private Game Reserve will host more than 100 teams from around the country from June 22.

Eastern Cape Majorette and Cheerleading Association (ECMCA) committee member and local trainer Calista Stanton said the event had been branded as “a nationals like no other”. “We’re trying to bring the sport back to the Eastern Cape so we knew we had to make it a very different and special nationals. We’re so grateful to Inkwenkwezi for hosting us,” said Stanton.

A section of the game reserve has been transformed into a makeshift stadium, with floodlights and grandstands.

The week-long event will see craft and food stalls decorate Inkwenkwezi’s grounds, while more than 5,000 majorette and cheerleading athletes compete.

Lilyfontein Primary, Gonubie Primary, Purple Phoenix and Mthatha Christian School will represent the province.

Trainer and former Stirling High majorette and SA large drill champion Amy Bezuidenhout, who has played an integral part in the revival of majorettes in the Eastern Cape, trains the Lilyfontein Majorettes and the Purple Phoenix Club in East London.

The nationals will kick off on Saturday at 9am with the cheerleading championships, the president majorette championships from June 23 to 25, and the elite majorette championships from June 26 to 29.

madeleinec@dispatch.co.za