Netball takes girls off the streets and away from mischief
Sports Minister Zizi Kodwa and his deputy Nocawe Mafu graced the launch of the 2023 season of the Telkom Netball League.
The government has announced plans to take netball to the communities in the townships, including the far-flung rural communities as part of unearthing and developing talent in the game.
This was disclosed by Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Zizi Kodwa when he addressed the launch of the 2023 Telkom Netball League which is set to start on April 27 to May 1 at the Ngoako Ramahlodi Sports Complex in Seshego, Polokwane.
Kodwa, who was accompanied by her deputy, Nocawe Mafu, said plans were underway to harness township and rural sports development to ensure that people in those communities were exposed to much more sports activity than just soccer.
“In order to achieve this we need, as government, to address the state and lack of infrastructure so we can attract young girls to the game of netball as it also plays a vital role in social cohesion and nation building.
“We want to open all sporting codes to everyone in the country to ensure everybody has access and not just those with a hefty rand in their pockets or banks,” Kodwa said.
Netball SA president Cecilia Molokwane said taking the game to Limpopo was part of the vision of the executive of Netball South Africa to take the sport to the people, in all corners of the country, including the rural villages from where the president said she hails.
Molokwane lamented the fact the country had so many banks and car dealerships yet none of them were willing to sponsor netball but would jump at any opportunity for the other so-called popular sporting codes. “We call upon them to prove us wrong,” she added.
Telkom’s chief marketing officer Gugu Mthembu reiterated the government’s plans to build and upgrade dilapidated infrastructure in the townships and rural areas. “We say to the government, we too stand ready on the project. It has been our vision for netball since the start of our sponsorship as we want to attract more girls to the sport and take them off the streets and away from mischief,” Mthembu said.
Mthembu confirmed the extension of their sponsorship for a further three years when it expired on April 1 this year. “I want to assure Netball South Africa that the marriage was not about to expire. We are still committed,” she added.
Telkom is not only a sponsor of the league but has also thrown its weight behind the Netball World Cup and is one of the premium sponsors of this global showpiece that will take place later in July in Cape Town.
The league has moved from 13 teams to 15, the additional teams are from Limpopo and the Free State and Netball South Africa have plans to build the base of the teams to 18 and also allow a limited number of foreign players per team.
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