Netball Proteas get a huge send-off
South African national netball team get a send-off in Pretoria on Saturday ahead of their Netball World Cup campaign.
Eliot Mahlase
The Spar Proteas national netball team were given a proper send-off on Saturday evening ahead of their Netball World Cup (NWC) campaign in New Zealand.
Netball South Africa and team sponsors SPAR organized a farewell dinner for the team at the Southern Sun Pretoria hotel on Saturday.
Gauteng Provincial MEC of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation Molebatsi Bopape delivered the key-note address on behalf of government. Sponsor representatives and parents of the netball players also attended in support of the Spar Proteas.
“It’s no coincidence that we are celebrating the SPAR Proteas travelling to the NWC on Mandela Day, it’s a fitting match that a team of such talent should be celebrating netball when we are celebrating an icon that said sport plays an important role in unifying a nation,” Bopape said.
SPAR group marketing executive Mike Prentice confirmed his company would be paying an incentive should the team return to South Africa with a medal.
“SPAR will gladly pay a R500 000 bonus for any medal won in Sydney by South Africa. But if the team brings back silver we will pay R750 000 and for gold R1 million. We wish the SPAR Proteas all the very best, we believe in them and are proud to be associated with netball,” he said.
Captain Maryka Holtzhausen and vice-captain Bongi Msomi said they were excited to travel to Sydney and felt well prepared for the World Cup.
Netball South Africa president Mimi Mthethwa closed the evening off with a fitting tribute to the SPAR Proteas saying her executives had done all they could to ensure the best preparation for the team and were totally committed to their success and felt the team spirit was special and the team would do themselves and the country proud.
The team jetted off from Johannesburg on Sunday evening for New Zealand where they will play two tests against the Silver Ferns (New Zealand). The Proteas would remain in New Zealand with coach Norma Plummer to prepare for the World Cup between 7 and 16 August in Sydney.
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