The province’s sporting stars were recognised and awarded at this year’s Sport and Recreation Achievers Awards held at the Boardwalk Hotel in Gqeberha on the evening of the 11th of October.
The prestigious ceremony was graced by the Honourable Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, the Eastern Cape Premier Lubabalo Oscar Mabuyane, the provincial MEC of the Department of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture, Sibulele Ngongo, and Nelson Mandela Bay Metro Executive Mayor Gary Van Niekerk, along with many other notable guests in the public sector, the private sector, and the sport fraternity.
For the first time in 25 years, since the inception of the awards in 1996, the public had the opportunity to participate by voting for their favourite Sport Star of the Year.
Two-time IBF light-flyweight World champion Sivenathi “The Special One” Nontshinga received the highest honour when he was declared the 2024 Sportsman of the Year and the 2024 Sport Star of the Year, winning a brand new white VW Polo Vivo, 2024 model, sponsored by Joma Sports.
The deserving Mdantsane-born boxing sensation, who boasts a record of 13 wins and 10 knockouts, was not in attendance as he was in Aichi, Japan, to defend his IBF junior flyweight title against Masamichi Yabuki.
Through a virtual video recording, he thanked his team and supporters for being a big part of his journey. He also gave credit to the Department of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture.
In his address, the Minister of Sports, Arts, and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, acknowledged the Eastern Cape as the province of champions and appreciated the significant contribution of the province to sports.
“I say this because this province has given us Siya Kolisi, who is the best rugby captain in SA rugby history. This province has also given us Rassie Erasmus, the best coach too.”
The minister also revealed that the New Zealand Rugby Federation recently signed a deal with the South African Rugby Union for New Zealand’s All Blacks to play against the Springboks in South Africa. He committed to bringing their first game to the province.
In June, a call for nominations was issued to all Federations, School Sport Structures, Recreation Councils, and Provincial Sport Confederations. An adjudication committee consisting of the Eastern Cape Sport Confederation, members of the media, legal fraternity, sport experts with experience in sport for people with disabilities, the Eastern Cape Recreation Council, Departmental officials, and representatives from the sport structures was formed, and 165 nominations in 25 categories of individuals, federations, and teams who have excelled both on and off the field were selected for the final round..
