Provincial volleyball team competes on national stage

The provincial volleyball team, Mapungubwe Warriors have pledged to bring home gold medals from the National Volleyball League to be hosted by Volleyball South Africa in partnership with the Department of Sport and Recreation. The tournament commenced in Kempton Park, Gauteng on Friday and will run until 7 July
The pledge was made during their provincial send-off by the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture at a hospitality venue in Flora Park on Friday. The team received track suits on the day and MEC Thandi Moraka challenged her officials to procure golf shirts and takkies for the squad as she mentioned that the provincial teams must be taken good care of. She stressed a need for transparency in all the sporting codes.
Moraka stated that she was assured that the team would come home with gold medals and joked by saying the squad must not return to Limpopo if they fail to finish first. “Our softball team, Dinare has set the tone by winning gold at the recent national championships so we expect nothing less from Mapungubwe Warriors. We never received reports of ill-discipline from all the sporting codes that represented the province on the national stage hence I expect the same good behaviour from this team,” Moraka remarked.
She raised concern about the many youngsters who are not taking part in sport adding that such people end up engaging in criminal activities, unprotected sexual intercourse and using harmful substances. She stressed a need to create jobs for the youth but also challenged young people to establish businesses to help government fight the large unemployment rate. Moraka concurred that volleyball facilities were not enough across the province but reiterated that her office was working with the Department of Sport and Recreation to build combi courts at various venues in Limpopo.
“We anticipate working together with the municipalities for them to use municipal infrastructure grant budget meant for sport to build these courts in their respective areas. We should take care of all the sporting codes not only a few,” Moraka said and concluded by wishing the team best of luck in the tournament.
Fixtures:
Friday – Mapungubwe Warriors vs North West Dynamites.
Saturday – Mapungubwe Warriors vs Eastern Cape Eagles.
Sunday – Mapungubwe Warriors vs Gauteng Thunderbolts.
28 June – Mapungubwe Warriors vs Free State Giants.
29 June – Mapungubwe Warriors vs Western Cranes.
30 June – Mapungubwe Warriors vs Diamond Kudus.

Story and photos: ENDY SENYATSI
>>endy@observer.co.za