Gauteng champions crowned at the second OR Tambo Soncini Social Cohesion Games

The second edition of the annual OR Tambo Soncini Social Cohesion Games in Germiston came to a grandiose closing with Gauteng’s young talent scooping awards in various sporting activities.

Hundreds of young people descended on Germiston Stadium for two days (October 27 to 28) to compete in swimming, athletics, basketball, netball, rugby and soccer.

Athletes had a good day in the playing fields in full view of their parents and the community of Ekurhuleni who came out in their numbers to support the games.

Team Gauteng School Sport was made up of the best athletics talent from schools across the province and were the big winners with 44 medals.

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They were followed by Tshwane who took 39 medals, City of Johannesburg 37, Ekurhuleni 31, Sedibeng 23 and West Rand 15.

The guest team from Reggio Emillion in Italy did not compete for medals.

Local athletes were spotted on the track and fields too.

Kiarah Gouws, who plays for Luso Africa, was chosen at the Gauteng Trials to represent Ekurhuleni in the girls’ soccer division.

The team was placed third earning a bronze medal.

Diamond Athletics Club’s Kabelo Mampane secured a silver medal in the boys’ u-15 100m hurdles.

Lyseytte Dliwayo, also from Diamond Athletics, bagged a silver medal in the girls’ u-15 90m hurdles and Thabiso Maffa landed in third place in the boys’ u-15 long jump, securing a bronze medal.

The games, which are organised by the Gauteng Department of Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation, in partnership with the Ekurhuleni metro and the Gauteng Sports Confederation, were held as part of celebrations to honour the country’s icon, Oliver Tambo.

The late Tambo is revered as a true hero of the nation who helped shape South Africa’s constitutional democracy.

Hosting the event also gave young people an opportunity to express and engage in the historical developments in the country.

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The overall winners in their respective categories were as follows:

Basketball (boys):

First: City of Johannesburg.

Second: Ekurhuleni.

Third: Gauteng School Sport.

Girls:

First: City of Johannesburg.

Second: Ekurhuleni.

Third: Gauteng School Sport.

Soccer (boys):

First: Tshwane.

Second: Gauteng School Sport.

Third: City of Johannesburg.

Girls:

First: Tshwane.

Second: City of Johannesburg.

Third: Ekurhuleni.

Netball:

First: Gauteng School Sport.

Second: City of Johannesburg.

Third: Ekurhuleni.

Rugby (boys):

First: Tshwane.

Second: Gauteng School Sport.

Third: West Rand.

Girls:

First: Gauteng School Sport.

Second: Tshwane.

Third: Sedibeng.

Aquatics:

First: Gauteng School Sport.

Second: Ekurhuleni.

Third: Tshwane.

Athletics:

First: Tshwane.

Second: Gauteng School Sport.

Third: City of Johannesburg.

The Gauteng Sports Confederation was conferred with a special award in the athletics category while West Rand was also cited, winning a special award for their metro.

“Congratulations to all the winners.

“A big thank you to all who made these games a success and we look forward to hosting this event next year with a big bang,” said Gauteng MEC for Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation, Faith Mazibuko as she declared the 2018 games closed.

“A special thank you to our Italian guests who joined us for the games in celebration of the Nelson Mandela and Albertina Sisulu centenary celebrations,”said Mazibuko.