The Western Cape Minister of Cultural Affairs and Sport, Anroux Marais, hosted the Provincial Sport Awards at the Cape Sun Hotel on Saturday, 21 October, an annual event that celebrates the sporting achievements of athletes, sporting bodies and administrators across the Western Cape.
The nominees were all the winners from the six regional awards events which took place in the Overberg, Cape Winelands, Cape Town, Garden Route, Central Karoo and West Coast between July and September this year. This year saw Christo Lamprecht from the Garden Route take the top honours as Sportsman of the Year, while Candice Lill from Western Cape Cycling was named as Sportswoman of the Year.
Ministerial awards were also bestowed on Helderberg locals Reinhardt Hamman for photographer of the year and Anso Kemp in recognition of technical excellence.
Head of Department Guy Redman opened the evening and thanked the various sporting bodies and athletes present for their support and partnership in the work that the Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport does: “Our business, which is imagination and hope, is core in our country. We want our children to have vast, uncontainable minds and we must work together to continue bringing this hope across the province,” he said.
Marais congratulated all those who had been crowned as winners in their regions: “You are flying the flag of your region. Thank you for being role models and heroes to our communities. Thank you for making the correct and healthy life choices. Thank you for being examples to all of us.”
Reinhardt Hamman was awarded in the Cape Winelands category for photographer of the year. The paralympian covers all para-athletics sports events locally and internationally. He has a passion for photography and livestreaming and captured the world record at the Toyota SASAPD National Championship with a wonderful image that highlighted the efforts made by competing athletes.
As a photographer he has captured events all around the world, including para-athletics events such as the Sitting Volleyball Championship and many others. He is a talented media liaison and sports photographer with a love and passion for local and international parasports.
The recognition of technical excellence award given to Anso Kemp of Western Cape Netball, Cape Winelands District is a current international umpire who made her mark all around the globe since she was awarded her IUA (International Umpire Award) in 2016.
So far she has officiated in 87 tests. She officiated at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in July/August 2022, the Quad Series in Cape Town and the final between Australia and New Zealand in January 2023. Anso grades and mentors umpires at all levels.
Anso could not be present at the ceremony and her award was collected on her behalf by Lorenzo Arendse, Vice President of the Western Cape provincial sport confederation.
