Lim Sport Awards recognise excellence, hard work

The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture on Saturday evening recognised and awarded best performing athletes, federations, recreation bodies, school teams, administrators and the media for the impressive role they play in promoting various sporting codes in the province during the Limpopo Sport Awards held at Jack Botes Hall. The attendees included the likes of …

October 4, 2018

3 minutes read

Sport, Arts and Culture MEC, Thandi Moraka addresses the audience at the Limpopo Sport Awards.

The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture on Saturday evening recognised and awarded best performing athletes, federations, recreation bodies, school teams, administrators and the media for the impressive role they play in promoting various sporting codes in the province during the Limpopo Sport Awards held at Jack Botes Hall.
The attendees included the likes of athletes Kgothatso Montjane, wheelchair tennis player,
and administrators such as Netball South Africa president Cecilia Molokwane. Sport, Arts and Culture MEC, Thandi Moraka presented the awards to winning individuals and sport bodies in 17 categories, including the MEC’s Excellence Awards category.
2018 Limpopo Sport Awards
The winners received trophies and cash prizes ranging from R15 000 to R50 000.
They are: Hasani Mninginisi (Developing School Team of the Year) Ncuva Structure (Indigenous Games of the Year), Morwathebe Combined School (School Team of the Year), Diketo Structure (Recreational Body of the Year), Lebogang Makwela (Photographer of the Year), Bernard Boshomane (Volunteer of the Year), Lucas Lamola (Newcomer of the Year), Limpopo junior girls’ volleyball team (Team of the Year), Limpopo Softball Association (Provincial Federation of the Year), Mashilo Matsetela (Sport Administrator of the Year), Robert Mathye (Journalist of the Year), Thabo Molokomme (Coach of the Year), Matsela Motsai (Sportswoman of the Year), Ishmael Nkuna (Sportsman of the Year with Disability), Anna Ngobe (Sportswoman of the Year with Disability), and Chris Moleya (Sportsman of the Year).
MEC’s Excellence Awards
These awards recognised nine individuals and a football club who represent the province on national and international stages in various sporting codes. The winners received an award and
R15 000.
The recipients are: Phuti Kgomo for being the first softball umpire from Limpopo to act at International level during the World Softball Junior Men’s championships held in Prince Albert, Canada in July; Cecilia Molokwane for her appointment as NSA president;
Frans Mogashoa for his selection as the National Manager in the South African Football Association (Safa) responsible for coaching education; newly appointed chairperson of the University Sport South Africa responsible for football, Kenneth Neluvhalani, Mike Makhubela, General Secretary for Volleyball South Africa and Moses Ngobeni for his appointment as Vice-Chairperson of the South African Majorettes and Cheerleading Association.
Awards also went to president of Chess South Africa, Joe Mahomole, Montjane for being the first black South African woman to compete at and reach the semi-finals at Wimbledon; Ria Ledwaba, ‘godmother of the local game’ as the first woman Vice-President of Safa and Black Leopards FC for progressing to the Premier Soccer League.
Moraka stated that the assembly was to honour and recognise athletes and sports personalities making Limpopo proud on national and world stages.
The awards took place after the week-long 2018 National Indigenous Games Festival hosted at Seshego Stadium where, according to the MEC, they witnessed with pride the great sportsmanship and remarkable success of the games.
She emphasised the necessity of advocating for more resources to be deployed to schools in order to encourage mass participation in various sporting codes. She added that such an investment will ensure a highly engaged youth as well as healthy and cohesive communities in the province.
“We need to effect transformation in sport so that we do not have sport for Africans and whites. Sport is and must always be a unifier of society. I wish to applaud the amazing determination and efforts of head of department, Mothlake Phukuntsi, the Sport and Recreation team lead by the energetic Kgathane Choshane, sporting federations and other stakeholders for putting together this spectacular show,” Moraka stated.
She continued to say that the province has experienced a sudden and unexpected departure of young athletes, and experience that has left the sporting fraternity shocked and numb and the province robbed of great talent. Moraka stressed the need to develop policies and responsive ways of dealing with such episodes and conveyed condolences to the families and friends of the fallen athletes.
The MEC further commented that the department was aware of the challenges experienced by athletes and undertook to find ways to improve the quality of services given to the athletes by working together with sporting fraternities. She said Limpopo has, for the first time ever, three teams in the Premier Soccer League and stressed that under no circumstances should the local support waver. Moraka congratulated all the winners and urged them to continue shining and making the province proud.
Limpopo Sport Confederation President Eric Muneri pointed out that the gathering recognised excellence among athletes while they are still alive. Phukuntsi in turn indicated that women and men in sport play a crucial role in society. He encouraged youngsters to participate in various sporting codes to adopt a healthy lifestyle and also earn a decent living.