The 2019 Buffalo City Metro Mayor’s Cup saw the best players from the metro’s 50 wards being selected to participate at the Steve Vukile Tshwete (SVT) Games.
The Mayor’s Cup, hosted at the Victoria Grounds in King William’s Town on Friday, saw athletes from around the metro competing in seven sporting codes, and all those selected will now prepare to represent BCM at the annual SVT Games in November.
“The Mayor’s Cup was a resounding success. For the first time we took it to King Williams Town and as we expected, it was well received.
“We selected the best to take us to the SVT games,” said BCM spokesperson Samkelo Ngwenya.
More than 200 prospects competed in rugby sevens, volleyball, goalball, table tennis, boxing, soccer, and netball, Ngwenya said. The public was very pleased to see the games visiting their area.
“Parents were able to come and support their children, especially as it’s school holidays, and we were happy that parents were able to attend the games and thus encourage their children to be active in sports.”
Ngwenya said they had focused more on affording people living with disabilities opportunities.
“In terms of the sporting codes, we’ve emphasised on goalball how important it is to actually give people living with disabilities in Buffalo City a chance to see that they don’t have to sit at home.
“They can always take up sports, and Buffalo City has that platform for them.
“You don’t have to go to other municipalities to play sport if you are blind. Having a disability does not mean that it is the end of the world.
“We are trying to grow goalball in the metro and unite the community through that code. Because it’s one of the sporting codes we can use to teach our people to see and recognise that those living with disabilities are part of society and that’s key for us as a metro,” Ngwenya said.
He said they we were impressed with boxing.
“The talent the boxers displayed at such a young age – the way they take up their guards, the way they execute their boxing stunts, the way they jab – their movements are good.
“Children as young as nine were already showing potential and for us as a metro, that shows we are contributing well to the development of the code and that’s why we are the mecca of boxing in this country.”
Ngwenya said the metro and other institutions invested in the sporting code.
“These young boxers have big dreams and they are taking up the sport with pride and that was encouraging to see,” he added.
The Buffalo City Metro are always the favourites in football at the SVT Games, having won the tournament on more than two occasions. Ngwenya was confident that the teams they had chosen would not disappoint.
“In rugby we have a lot of challenges and with having that code in the tournament we were quite impressed, as the kids understood the rules of rugby well.
“That means there’s a future for rugby in this region, regardless of what’s happening in the sport.
“All the codes that were played prove that there is something to work with in Buffalo City, and these players will flourish because they have been nurtured from a young age.
“From an organisational point of view, we are very pleased with the entire proceedings and we are looking forward to see the winners representing us at the SVT Games.
“Mayor Xola Pakati was very impressed and he also encouraged the kids to stay at school and stay active in sport.”
New venue in King proves popular
50 chosen to go to SVT Games
Image: MARK ANDREWS
The 2019 Buffalo City Metro Mayor’s Cup saw the best players from the metro’s 50 wards being selected to participate at the Steve Vukile Tshwete (SVT) Games.
The Mayor’s Cup, hosted at the Victoria Grounds in King William’s Town on Friday, saw athletes from around the metro competing in seven sporting codes, and all those selected will now prepare to represent BCM at the annual SVT Games in November.
“The Mayor’s Cup was a resounding success. For the first time we took it to King Williams Town and as we expected, it was well received.
“We selected the best to take us to the SVT games,” said BCM spokesperson Samkelo Ngwenya.
More than 200 prospects competed in rugby sevens, volleyball, goalball, table tennis, boxing, soccer, and netball, Ngwenya said. The public was very pleased to see the games visiting their area.
“Parents were able to come and support their children, especially as it’s school holidays, and we were happy that parents were able to attend the games and thus encourage their children to be active in sports.”
Ngwenya said they had focused more on affording people living with disabilities opportunities.
“In terms of the sporting codes, we’ve emphasised on goalball how important it is to actually give people living with disabilities in Buffalo City a chance to see that they don’t have to sit at home.
“They can always take up sports, and Buffalo City has that platform for them.
“You don’t have to go to other municipalities to play sport if you are blind. Having a disability does not mean that it is the end of the world.
“We are trying to grow goalball in the metro and unite the community through that code. Because it’s one of the sporting codes we can use to teach our people to see and recognise that those living with disabilities are part of society and that’s key for us as a metro,” Ngwenya said.
He said they we were impressed with boxing.
“The talent the boxers displayed at such a young age – the way they take up their guards, the way they execute their boxing stunts, the way they jab – their movements are good.
“Children as young as nine were already showing potential and for us as a metro, that shows we are contributing well to the development of the code and that’s why we are the mecca of boxing in this country.”
Ngwenya said the metro and other institutions invested in the sporting code.
“These young boxers have big dreams and they are taking up the sport with pride and that was encouraging to see,” he added.
The Buffalo City Metro are always the favourites in football at the SVT Games, having won the tournament on more than two occasions. Ngwenya was confident that the teams they had chosen would not disappoint.
“In rugby we have a lot of challenges and with having that code in the tournament we were quite impressed, as the kids understood the rules of rugby well.
“That means there’s a future for rugby in this region, regardless of what’s happening in the sport.
“All the codes that were played prove that there is something to work with in Buffalo City, and these players will flourish because they have been nurtured from a young age.
“From an organisational point of view, we are very pleased with the entire proceedings and we are looking forward to see the winners representing us at the SVT Games.
“Mayor Xola Pakati was very impressed and he also encouraged the kids to stay at school and stay active in sport.”
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