Eastern Cape MEC for Sports, Recreation, Arts and Culture Nonceba Kontsiwe handed sports equipment and kits worth R1.2 million to sports clubs and schools in the Chris Hani District Municipality (CHDM) on Tuesday, November 22.
According to the MEC, the donation was aimed at reviving sport interest in rural areas, traditionally dominated villages and farming communities.
“I am very happy that my first visit as Sports, Recreation, Arts and Culture MEC in the Eastern Cape happened to be in the very municipality I call home,” said Kontsiwe, originally from the Chris Hani District.
She also underlined how rural regions face obstacles in showcasing their talent at the national level.
“The province has contributed much towards our national teams, and we are proud of that. This means many talented athletes face obstacles in showcasing their talent to be seen at higher levels of the sport. We want to include rural schools, hubs and clubs to be part of producing the best players so that we continue to make a difference,” she added.
The recipients constituted various sporting bodies, including schools and sporting clubs based in CHDM.
Melikhaya Ntenetyana from Ilinge sports hub said the donation would help ensure they produce great athletes.
“We need to get young people active so that we ensure that we produce athletes that will play a major role in our community. The best way to do that is to encourage and nurture talent and further support them,” said Ntenetyana.
