MEC launches rural sports development programme

POLOKWANE – The development programme will focus on four sporting codes, namely netball, football, rugby, and athletics.

Speaking on behalf of the MEC for Sport, Onicca Moloi, the MEC of Health, Dr Phophi Ramathuba said the development programme is aimed at unearthing and moving sport in rural communities forward.

“Research has proven beyond reasonable doubt that sport on its own assists athletes to improve their learning and listening capacity.

“It has shown that children who participated in sport listen to their teachers. The IQ of a sports fanatic and that of a child who doesn’t participate in sport cannot be compared and that’s why we hosted a sports symposium in April that included athletes, the South African Local Government Association (Salga), federations, and other relevant stakeholders to discuss only issues relating to sport development. Salga, which represents municipalities, indicates a willingness to prioritise the building of sport infrastructures in the rural areas,” she said.

She says research has shown that in the year 2000 fewer children were obese, but today those between 10 and 19 years of age have shown a 21% increase in obesity, due to their lifestyles.

“The children who are obese are at risk of suffering from conditions such as high cholesterol and high blood pressure, and we have come across many children suffering from heart conditions. We have seen young children requiring heart transplants because of their lifestyle.They suffer from bone diseases because the bone structure can’t cope with the weight of the body it is supposed to carry,” she explained.

She told Review that despite the decades of neglect by the Apartheid government, rural areas continue to produce top athletes who are competing on international stages.

“Our late brother, Mbulaheni Mulaudzi, born and bred in the dusty village of Muduluni in Makhado, started his career running in those dusty streets until he became the international icon he is. He and our sister, Caster Semenya, from the equally dusty streets of Moletjie, possibly had no facilities yet they defied all the odds. They become champions because they adopted the mindset of a champion. They conquered the world because they refused to cower in fear and self-pity. That is the attitude we would like to see our athletes from rural areas adopting. Champions are not produced by cities, or townships, but are produced by villages, specifically to give athletes support. Your place of birth must never determine your future. We also agreed that children in rural areas should be assisted with logistic support to utilise sport facilities,” she concluded.

editor@nmgroup.co.za