Sports fanatics take to the sport field to determine the best of the best
Cllr Mongezi Nkosi said this was not going to be a once- off event but an annual one, which will involve various sporting codes and activities.
BARBERTON – Local sport fanatics hope that the inaugural Umjindi Mandela Cup’s games were not merely part of the ANC campaign to garner votes.
The games, which included netball and soccer, started on August 4 and were contested by all nine wards within Umjindi.
They were finally completed over the weekend. Cllr Mongezi Nkosi’s Ward 7 were crowned champions in the soccer section after walloping Cllr Lucky Sambo’s Ward 3 in an entertaining final that was decided in the lottery penalty shoot-out.
This was after the game had ended in a goalless draw in regulation time. Ward 7 finally won 4-2 during the penalty shoot-out.
In the netball section, Ward 8 of Taylor Nsimbini was crowned the champions after walloping Nkosi’s Ward 7 29-14. All the champions were rewarded with gold medals while the runners-up received bronze.
According to Cllr Mongezi Nkosi, the aim of the games was to revive sport within the Umjindi area.
He said this was not going to be a once- off event but an annual one, which will involve various sporting codes and activities.
“Next month we are going to focus on other codes like pool, volleyball and tennis. Our programme is broad and will also include activities like career guidance,” said Nkosi.
Also present to grace the games was the Umjindi executive mayor Cllr Lazaros Mashaba and the ANC regional deputy chairman, Lemias Mashile.
He said on September 4 they would have a public hearing with the Public Protector and the municipal manager, Pat Msibi, the mayor Lazaros Mashaba, speaker Vusi Mkhatshwa and members of mayoral committee to address the issue.
