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Nhlakanipho Mkhize, a distinguished 33-year-old academic originally from Imbali Township, Pietermaritzburg, and now residing in Springs, east of Johannesburg, embodies the belief that education is the key to unlocking boundless opportunities. Now, he’s embarked on a mission close to his heart: to pay forward the transformative power of education to his cousin, Busiswa Kuzwayo, aged …
City of Cape Town events generate almost R4bn for economy
The year 2023 was a prolific year for the City of Cape Town as it hosted more than 1 200 events, which contributed nearly R4 billion to the economy and created job opportunities for its citizens.
From hosting Africa’s first Netball World Cup, the ICC Women's T20 World Cup, the first Formula E race in sub-Saharan Africa, the Loeries Creative Week, the return of Tweede Nuwe Jaar Minstrel Street Parade and many more -- the year proved to be a success for the city’s sports, arts and culture sectors.
“Research studies on three key events hosted in the city during this period revealed a substantial R2 billion economic impact. This is a holistic impact on the economy, which includes direct and indirect economic impact, and destination marketing, among others.
“A further R1.9 billion in economic activity was generated by just 20 of the events hosted in the calendar year. This is the actual direct spend by event attendees, participants and event organisers in Cape Town. In addition, over 1.3 million people attended or participated in the top 40 events in 2023,” the city said on Thursday.
The City of Cape Town’s Events Permit Office permitted over 1 200 events in the calendar year.
From major international sporting events, top tier music concerts, cultural masterpieces and an abundance of lifestyle events, Cape Town had it all in 2023. Through its Events Support Process, the city supported more than 170 events during the period.
“The importance of these economic spin-offs from events cannot be overstated. We have seen over the last couple of years how events can become catalysts for growth for other sectors in the value chain, including accommodation and food, travel, local retail and tourism attractions here in Cape Town.
“We have also seen that an overwhelming majority of event organisers use local suppliers for logistics, equipment rental, security, production, staffing and hospitality. Additionally, hosting a number of local and international events has helped tremendously in promoting Cape Town as a premier tourism destination to a global audience.
“Event organisers have worked hard over the last 15 months with support from the City’s Events Department to get the events back in the direction we were headed before the pandemic. We would like to salute all involved for their hard work,’” the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, JP Smith, said.
The top 20 events hosted in Cape Town in 2023 created over 26 000 job opportunities for people in the greater events ecosystem, including security, catering, logistics, production and transportation, among others.
The city is planning to keep the momentum for events going this year as well.
It has an exciting line up in the events space with the Tweede Nuwe Jaar Minstrel Street Parade, kicking off a year that will also feature the SA20 Final at Newlands, the Cape Town Carnival, Africa Travel Week, Comic Con Cape Town and the world champion Springboks will battle with the All Backs at DHL Stadium in September 2024.
For all the latest information on events in Cape Town, visit eventsincapetown.com. – SAnews.gov.za
nosihle
Thu, 01/04/2024 - 10:22
Celebrating South Africa's sports stars
South Africans will celebrate South Africa’s sports achievements and the Springboks World Cup victory on Friday, after President Cyril Ramaphosa declared 15 December a public holiday.
The Boks clinched a hard fought and historic victory during a tough encounter against New Zealand in the 2023 Rugby World Cup final held in Paris in October.
The Boks are the only national team who have won the Rugby World Cup four times.
In an address to nation shortly after the win and following public calls for a public holiday to celebrate the victory and sports achievements in true South African style, President Ramaphosa said the holiday would only be held after the matric final exams.
“In celebration of the Springboks’ momentous achievement and the achievements of all our other sports men and women, and as a tribute to the resolve of our united nation, I am declaring Friday the 15th of December 2023 as a public holiday.
“We declare this to be a day of hope, a day of celebration and unity. Our sports men and women have shown us what is possible. We will succeed and we will ensure that we leave no one behind,” President Ramaphosa said.
The year 2023 has been a glittering year for South African sports and its stars. Notable achievements include:
Earlier this week in his newsletter to the nation, the President urged South Africans to come together to “remind ourselves of everything that we love about South Africa”.
The President called on South Africans to mark a special public holiday to celebrate the historic victory of the Springboks in the Rugby World Cup.
“Their victory, alongside many other achievements by South Africans on the global stage, is a reminder of our country’s tremendous strengths and the promise that it holds.
“Let us come together on Friday to remind ourselves of everything that we love about South Africa. Let it be a day of hope, celebration and unity. I wish all South Africans a safe, peaceful and restful festive season as we all prepare for a successful new year,” he said. – SAnews.gov.za
NeoB
Thu, 12/14/2023 - 11:50
Sport for change
With the holiday period almost in full swing, many of us can’t wait to see the back of the office in exchange for time to unwind with family and friends, after all it has indeed been an exhausting year for most.
I’m sure I’m not alone in feeling that the years after the horrible chapter of the COVID-19 pandemic have been difficult. Oddly, at times it felt as if two years had been crammed into a single calendar year.
Despite the doom and gloom of all our varying individual circumstances, South Africa’s sporting men and women this year gave us the ray of sunshine we all needed.
They not only brought smiles to our faces, but they gave much-needed hope and pride to the nation.
Think of the wonderful performance of Banyana Banyana who made history becoming the first senior South African football team to qualify for the knockout round of the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup. While not reaching the finals, the SPAR Proteas team made the country proud in their performance at the Netball World Cup that South Africa hosted in July and early August.
To add to the magic made on the sporting field, the men’s national cricket team, the Proteas, made the country proud at the 2023 Cricket World Cup reaching the semi-finals of the tournament in November.
This as the Springboks lifted the Webb Ellis trophy for a record fourth time since South Africa became a democracy in 1994. Their win at the Rugby World Cup in France and the performance of the other sporting codes did much for the mood of a country bedevilled by various challenges such as unemployment, gender-based violence and corruption.
We even glossed over the stress associated with being a sports fan. I mean what is a little bit of yelling at the television in frustration because the team wouldn’t listen to our armchair advice or walking away from it without watching the match to the end because it’s just too stressful?
South Africans also withstood the dreaded bouts of load shedding that led to the missing of matches if one did not make alternative arrangements to catch the game somewhere else.
We have since put all that behind us. After all, we all know that being a fan of any sporting code is not always easy!
Sport supporters and part-time supporters who got caught up in the fever pitch of it all supported our teams. We are not called a sporting nation for nothing.
South Africans rallied behind their national teams so much so that President Cyril Ramaphosa declared the 15th of December 2023 as a public holiday in celebration of the Springboks’ momentous achievement.
And yes, I completely understand that for some, social cohesion is an airy-fairy concept or government initiative that bears no weight in everyday-life situations where racism and inequality are very much part of life in Mzansi.
The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture defines social cohesion as “the degree of social integration and inclusion in communities and society at large, and the extent to which mutual solidarity finds expression itself among individuals and communities”.
In President Cyril Ramaphosa’s words the Boks’ win has “united South African people.” I mean who can forget the viral clip of Springboks winger Makazole Mapimpi being cheered on by customers and store staff whilst out grocery shopping, and Eben ‘Elizabedi’ Etzebeth and RG Snyman dancing with South African fans near the Eiffel Tower in Paris?
The win showed that while challenges remain, the country has come a long way in its journey of democracy that involved the transformation of a country that only worked for a minority to a country that embraces all of her people.
The victories on the sporting field have a far greater meaning for South Africans. These victories result in disadvantaged little ones and teenagers seeing themselves reaching and even exceeding the heights reached by the sporting heroes.
Sport is more than just sport; it unites us; it inspires us; gives us hope - and is often a ticket to a better life.
And while we all scoffed at the President for making the holiday only in December because we all needed one sooner rather than later, the time has finally arrived.
As a loyal sports fan, you have earned it, now enjoy it! -SAnews.gov.za
Neo
Thu, 12/14/2023 - 12:11
Strengthening unity and social cohesion in a healing nation
By Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Zizi Kodwa
Following the record-breaking fourth Rugby World Cup title win by the Springboks, South Africa’s national men’s rugby team, President Cyril Ramaphosa declared 15 December 2023 a public holiday to celebrate the team’s momentous achievement. It is fitting that this celebratory holiday occurs during Reconciliation Month and a day before Reconciliation Day, which is dedicated to fostering reconciliation and strengthen unity in the country.
The theme for 2023 Reconciliation Month is “Strengthening Unity and Social Cohesion in a Healing Nation”. This theme acknowledges South Africa’s continuing journey of healing from past injustices and overcoming current challenges. The theme also underscores the important role of Department of Sport, Arts and Culture in fostering national unity and social cohesion. South Africa’s creatives, cultural practitioners, and athletes play an important role in uniting the country and sharing with the world the essence of South Africa as a country that values unity and social cohesion. This has been clear to see in 2023, in what has been a significant year for South African sport, arts and culture.
The year began with the Proteas Women’s national cricket team reaching the Women’s Cricket T20 World Cup for the first time on home soil and has been heightened by the Springboks’ record-breaking Rugby World Cup victory. South Africa has also hosted several mega-events such as the Netball World Cup and the World Rowing Regatta. Also, Banyana Banyana made the country proud by reaching the FIFA Women’s World Cup Round of 16, the first time a senior South African national football team – men or women – progressed from the FIFA World Cup group stages. The Proteas Men’s national cricket also made the nation proud by reaching the semifinals of the 2023 Men’s Cricket World Cup.
It has also been an eventful year on the creative and artistic front. South African amputee dancer, Musa Motha brought judges and crowds to tears with breakthrough performances in the Britain's Got Talent competition. Opera singer Pretty Yende continued to raise the country’s flag high on the world’s operatic stages and performed at the coronation of the United Kingdom’s King Charles III. South Africa’s Amapiano musicians have taken the genre to even greater heights internationally. Musicians Zakes Bantwini, Wouter Kellerman and Nomcebo Zikode won a Grammy Award this year, while Trevor Noah, Tyla, Just 6 and Musa Keys all received nominations for the 2024 Grammy Awards. Grammy Award-winning DJ and producer Black Coffee also made history when he performed at Madison Square Gardens in New York, becoming the first South African DJ or producer to achieve such a feat. Dr John Kani, who has received countless awards, was the fifth recipient of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture’s Van Toeka Af Living Legends series, and received further recognition internationally this year.
South Africa’s creative artists and athletes inspire and unite communities, giving expression to a winning nation. We have seen this in the way creative artists incorporate the country’s diverse cultures in their craft, and how South Africans and international audiences embrace and celebrate our diverse culture and creative talent. Our athletes also inspire unity with their excellence and unity. The most vivid example is that of the Springboks, who not only show how far South African sport has come in being representative of the country’s diverse population, but also enjoy great support across all backgrounds and generations in the country.
Government has been working hard to deepen the role of sport, arts, and culture to build national unity and to foster social cohesion in communities. One of the priorities has been to develop sport at grassroots level through the building of multipurpose sports facilities in rural and township schools and staging summer and winter school sport festivals. This year, we also convened a national school sport indaba to unify country’s school sport sector and establish a blueprint for school sport. Our community art centres also provide a space for communities to practice and showcase their creative art talent.
As we mark Reconciliation Month, let us continue to remember how far we have come as a country to unite in our rich diversity. Let us continue to use sport and the creative sector to strengthen unity and social cohesion. I call on all sport federations, clubs, and community art centres to take sports and the arts to communities.
The late former President Nelson Mandela said that sport unites people in ways little else can. Madiba would be proud to see the impact of sport and arts in building unity in the country. As South Africa continues its healing journey, let us use sport and the creative arts to help us on this journey to build the united and cohesive South Africa we desire. This momentum is especially important as we enter 30 years since the dawn of South Africa’s democracy.
*This message was first published in Public Sector Manager magazine: https://www.gcis.gov.za/content/resource_centre/news_and_mags/public_sector_magazine
Janine
Thu, 12/14/2023 - 11:28
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Government announces new awards for arts, culture sector
Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Zizi Kodwa has announced that government will be hosting an all-encompassing awards ceremony to recognise those who exhibit outstanding artistic and technical achievement in the arts and culture sector.
“The creativity and imagination of the South African designers, artists, producers, writers, and performers are continuing to shine the light on the global stage and driving the growth of our creative economy,” Kodwa said on Tuesday in Pretoria.
The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture intends to confer South African Creative Arts Awards (SACA) annually in appreciation of the outstanding contributions to the creative sector.
“This is another way in which government is developing a participatory cultural platform by supporting artists and arts and culture initiatives, as essential elements to stimulate the growth of the country’s creative economy.
“These are creatives from across cultural domains that push the boundaries of their creative ability and show devotion to excellence with uncompromising quality, ground-breaking creativity and relentless innovation that defines those that are outstanding from the best.
“The South African Creative Arts Awards are for creatives from across cultural domains who push boundaries of their creative ability and show devotion to excellence,” the Minister said.
The launch date for the SACA will be announced in due course.
Meanwhile, South Africa will be hosting the 2024 International Cricket Council (ICC) Under 19 Cricket World Cup from 20 January to 11 February 2024.
The event was initially scheduled to take place in Sri Lanka, however, the ICC Board decided to move this tournament from Sri Lanka and awarded it to South Africa.
“The move was taken as a consequence of the ICC provisionally suspending Sri Lanka Cricket due to extensive government interference in the board's administration. Sixteen countries are expected to participate. No government funding is required. The International Cricket Council and Cricket South Africa will provide funding for the tournament,” Kodwa said.
The event will take place at the following venues:
2027 Netball World Cup
With preparations for South Africa’s participation in the 2027 Netball World Cup underway, the Minister also announced the appointment of an Independent Advisory Panel on Netball Professionalisation, which will ensure the development, sustainability, and competitiveness of netball.
The Independent Advisory Panel has been appointed with the objective of developing a blueprint for the development of Netball in the country.
The panel will be expected to review netball’s strategy and increase Mass Participation to ensure Netball becomes a sport of first choice in communities.
Furthermore, the panel will ensure the national league as a commercial product and that it generates revenue for the system that increases the broadcast value and aids professionalization.
It is also responsible for achieving excellence in the international rankings at major international competitions as well as dealing with matters pertaining to governance and finance.
The following are members of the Independent Advisory Panel on Netball:
Board of Boxing SA
The current term of the Board of Boxing South Africa expires on 11 December 2023.
The Minister thanked the outgoing board members for the work that they have done during the period.
He also announced the appointment of the following new members of the Board of Boxing SA with effect from 12 December 2023 until 11 December 2026:
The World Anti-Doping Authority (WADA) has once again awarded South Africa with the hosting of the its Africa Regional office. This office is currently hosted in Cape Town and will continue to be based in Cape Town.
“In April 2023, WADA published a call for Expressions of Interest to host its Africa Office. Three countries, namely Egypt, Morocco, and South Africa, formally expressed interest and submitted a candidate file. Evaluation visits took place in these three countries at the beginning of October 2023,” the Minister said. – SAnews.gov.za
nosihle
Tue, 11/28/2023 - 13:04
MultiChoice Group (MCG, or the group) (www.MultiChoice.com), Africa's leading entertainment company, executed well on its operational objectives during the six months ended 30 September 2023 (1H FY24).
Building on its track record of investing in technology to be ahead of the curve, and to accommodate shifts in consumer video consumption trends to support future growth, the group continued to transition strategically with an increased investment in Showmax, ahead of an exciting re-launch in the second half of this financial year.
“We remain focused on developing our leading entertainment platform that caters for consumer needs across sub-Saharan Africa, on leveraging our footprint to build a differentiated ecosystem and on developing additional revenue streams,” says Calvo Mawela, Chief Executive Officer.
The overall excitement around three world cups, culminating in the Springboks emerging victorious as back-to-back Rugby World Cup champions, supported subscriber activity. A highlight of the interim period was the South African Premium customer base, which grew 5%, a positive trend for the first time in many years.
Although profitability came under pressure due to ongoing power interruptions, cost of living pressures and sharp depreciation in local currencies against the US dollar, the impact was mitigated by a change in focus towards subscriber retention, an improved customer mix, as well as ongoing pricing and cost saving disciplines to protect the resilience of the business. As a result, the group maintained a positive trading profit margin of 3% in the Rest of Africa (a ZAR2.2bn organic improvement YoY) and delivered a 31% trading margin in South Africa.
Salient points for the 1H FY24 period included:
The group continued to deliver compelling local content and enable its audiences to access internationally renowned entertainment shows. Playing a vital role in supporting and developing the continent's wider video entertainment industry, it has increased its spending on local content by 16% YoY, taking its local content library to almost 80,000 hours. Going forward, the group plans to enhance the monetisation of each hour of content produced by leveraging both its linear and streaming platforms.
Several new titles were launched to maintain strong momentum in leading local language programming. In addition to the successful debut of Shaka iLembe on Mzansi Magic; Gqeberha: The Empire replaced The Queen in its time slot; and Umkhoka: The Curse continued to grow in viewership and social media engagement during the period. M-Net launched the higher-end series 1802: Love Defies Time on 1Magic. kykNET introduced a new medical procedural drama, Hartklop, and a new cooking reality show, Kokkedoor: Vuur & Vlam, both of which commanded strong audience share. Big Brother Naija entered its eighth season, delivering record advertising revenues in local currency.
Following on from the success of the FIFA World Cup in FY23, SuperSport yet again demonstrated its ability to deliver an exceptional sport offering, successfully broadcasting three World Cup events in the period — the FIFA Women's World Cup, the Netball World Cup and the Rugby World Cup — followed by the Cricket World Cup, which aired post period-end.
As part of its broader “Here for Her” campaign, SuperSport provided a world-first all-female broadcasting crew to produce the Netball World Cup in Cape Town, which was shortlisted at the Sports Business Awards for “Best Sporting Event of 2023”.
Beyond World Cup coverage, SuperSport's broadcast of the Comrades Marathon in June 2023 was the biggest production in SuperSport's history. The group continued telling the best of local sport stories and is proud of its latest documentary series, Pulse of a Nation, which documents the history of football in South Africa. SuperSport also secured several rights in its portfolio to provide viewers with a wide variety of choice.
MultiChoice also remains committed to making school sport accessible to all levels of society through its SuperSport Schools platform, which grew its user base by 69% over the last six months, providing a valuable stage for identifying the next generation of South Africa's sporting stars.
Operational performance review
South Africa
The challenging consumer environment persisted into 1H FY24. Loadshedding remained the most immediate challenge in terms of subscriber activity, with the number of active days per subscriber declining by 5% due to a significant increase in both frequency and intensity of loadshedding, especially in Q1 of the reporting period. Premium and Compact bases showed improved stability compared to the latter part of FY23.
The group reported a 5% decline in 90-day active customers to 8.6m (3% of which can be attributed to the decision to end the short-term campaigns implemented in the prior year to support customers during loadshedding), with active customers amounting to 7.8m. More stable trends in the mid- and upper segments of the customer base, along with inflation-linked average price increases of around 4%, helped limit the decline in monthly average revenue per user (ARPU) to 2%.
Various initiatives were implemented to protect the economics of the segment and to help offset macro and consumer challenges weighing on the performance of the business into the second half, a period which is typically affected by the seasonally higher cost of the football content rights and festive season promotional activity. Key amongst these was the reduction in decoder subsidies through increased device pricing in our linear business and the relaunch of DStv Stream, which has more than tripled its subscribers since March 2023, albeit off a low base. Encouragingly, over 90% of DStv Stream subscribers added in the period are new subscribers to DStv, who find the connected product without hardware installation more appealing. The pricing and value proposition of the DStv Business Play packages were also recalibrated which led to a 37% increase in month-on-month revenues for this segment in September 2023.
Revenues declined by 3% to ZAR16.5bn, impacted by a 4% decline in subscription revenues and a reduction in decoder revenues due to the shift in strategy, offset by 31% growth in insurance premiums and a doubling of DStv Internet revenues. The segment delivered a trading margin of 31%, with Showmax now reported as a separate trading segment. In absolute terms, the lower revenues and negative operating leverage resulted in trading profit trending 17% lower to ZAR5.2bn, impacted by the ongoing investment in local content and sport, partially offset by cost saving initiatives and reduced decoder subsidies.
Rest of Africa (RoA)
After adding 1.4m new subscribers in FY23, subscriber growth in the Rest of Africa was more subdued in 1H FY24. This was due to the impact of inflationary pressures in key markets like Nigeria, and similar trends to previous periods which followed a FIFA World Cup or northern hemisphere football off-season. A total of 0.1m subscribers were added to end the period at 13.0m 90-day active subscribers. The active subscriber base was broadly stable at 8.9m subscribers and subscription revenues grew 14% organically.
Revenue of ZAR10.5bn was flat (+13% organic) with a weaker ZAR against the USD on conversion, offsetting the impact of weaker local currencies relative to the USD. The RoA segment delivered a trading profit of ZAR330m (+ZAR2.2bn YoY on an organic basis) which was underpinned by specific cost interventions around decoder subsidies and content costs.
Weaker currencies remained a significant impediment to improvements in profitability, with average first half exchanges falling sharply against the USD. The sharp fall of the naira resulted in a large proportion of the previously recognised losses incurred on cash remittances now being recorded in trading profit. The net effect of these forex movements was a negative ZAR1.6bn impact on the segment's trading profit for the period.
Showmax
The Showmax partnership with Comcast (owners of NBCUniversal, Sky and Peacock) was concluded on 4 April 2023 and significant progress has been made in preparing for launch later in this financial year. This service, which is set to benefit from rising connectivity and smart device uptake that enhances accessibility and scalability, will enable MultiChoice to double its customer base and deliver an additional USD1bn revenue in the medium term.
Showmax (now reported separately from the South African segment) saw its active subscriber base increase by 13% YoY, resulting in revenues growing 46% (+45% organic) to ZAR0.6bn. As the group continues to support the existing business and invest behind the new platform, operating costs increased in the short term, resulting in trading losses increasing by ZAR0.5bn to ZAR0.8bn.
Technology segment
Irdeto's external business delivered 17% topline growth (+4% organic) due to the weaker ZAR against the USD, market share gains in its core media security business and the provision of its managed services. Irdeto's connected industries initiatives continue to build momentum, most notably in the Keystone product line where Irdeto secured additional customer wins in the construction equipment space.
Trading profit was affected by once-off restructuring activities in the core media security business as the business adapts to the changing media landscape, and increased by a modest 1% on an organic basis.
On a standalone basis, Irdeto generated revenues of USD98m (ZAR1.8bn), down 7%. Trading profit of USD15m (ZAR0.3bn) was lower than the prior period as a result of the non-recurring benefit from elevated FIFA World Cup orders in the prior year, as well as the restructuring costs.
KingMakers
KingMakers continued to deliver strong underlying operating momentum despite the impact of the weaker naira and challenging macro environment in Nigeria. The business delivered organic revenue growth of 22%, led by strong growth in its online sportsbook which saw active users increase 17% and its revenue contribution grow by 40% YoY. The weaker naira resulted in reported revenues increasing only 2% to USD95m (ZAR1.8bn). KingMakers reported USD10m in EBITDA and narrowed its loss after tax to USD8.6m (ZAR0.2bn) for the first six months to June 2023.
The core development focus for KingMakers was preparations for the soft launch of SuperSportBet in South Africa on 9 November this year. The expertise of the KingMakers team combined with the strength of the SuperSportBet brand and exclusive partnerships uniquely positions the group to leverage the opportunity for future revenue and gain market share in this large and growing addressable market.
KingMakers is focused on optimising the profitability of its agency business and growing its higher-margin online business that, together with the opportunity presented by the new South African business, will support its path to sustainable profitability.
The product and market expansion plans are fully funded with KingMakers having USD134m (ZAR2.5bn) of cash at period end (being June 2023).
Moment (Fintech)
The Moment joint venture made significant progress in integrating with group core payments infrastructure and remains on track to commercialise its local services in 2H FY24.
In addition, Moment prioritised payment service integrations for the Showmax business to support the streaming platform's launch in 2H FY24. The platform is set to deliver returns equal to the initial investment within a 20-month timeframe and will become increasingly important to the success of the group's ecosystem in future, providing simplicity to customer payment options, more integrated rewards platforms and B2B revenue opportunities.
Future Prospects
“MultiChoice has a compelling growth strategy in place, which is partly driven by the opportunity to capture sustainable long-term growth through our targeted investment in streaming and partly by the need to absorb increased external economic pressure on the business and its consumers in the short-term. Our priority is to navigate both sets of demands to ensure the group operates sustainably through the current economic cycle and long into the future, while delivering attractive shareholder returns.” says Mawela.
The focus remains on driving further efficiencies in operating expenditure, as well as working capital and capex decisions, to ensure consistent and optimal returns on all capital deployed. At the same time, the group continues to seek ways to support or improve the economics of the business through pricing decisions, optimising customer mix and content monetisation, as well as calibrating decoder subsidies according to the macro-economic backdrop.
The group is also carefully investing behind nascent or future business lines, taking into account the strategic importance and prospects of success.
“The second half of FY24 will be an important period in our journey to expand our ecosystem beyond Africa's leading linear pay-TV operator into a broader ecosystem of interactive entertainment and consumer services to enable us to double our customer base to 50 million over the next five years. The relaunch of Showmax, combined with KingMakers' entry into the South African market with SuperSportBet, and Moment's platform launch are all important milestones as we accelerate growth and drive additional scale, creating a ‘world of more' for customers and additional value for shareholders.” Mawela concluded.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of MultiChoice Group.
Cape Town, 10 Nov 2023 – the dynamic Damian Willemse, lit up the newly opened FUTURELIFE® store at Canal Walk Shopping Centre in Cape Town where excited fans had the opportunity to meet and interact with one of South Africa’s sporting heroes. The concept store, which opened its doors on 18 October 2023, served as …
Intimidation has prevented repairs to parks in Delft, Cape Town
FUTURELIFE®, South Africa’s fastest-growing cereal brand, is celebrating the launch of an exciting new addition to its product line-up, FUTURELIFE® Smart Food™ Peanut Butter Flavour. The introduction of the Peanut Butter flavour variant in the 500g Smart Food™ range comes in a limited-edition promotional pack, adding an extra layer of excitement to the launch. According …
Gauteng launches Khanya Lesedi Sports School of Specialisation
Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane has officially lunched Khanya Lesedi Sports School of Specialisation in Ratanda, Heidelberg.
Khanya Lesedi is a distinguished public school with a rich history of academic excellence, sport achievements, artistic endeavors and social development.
Established in January 1898, the school has consistently excelled in sports disciplines such as soccer, netball and athletics, and it has proudly represented the Sedibeng cluster at the district, provincial, national and even international levels.
Chiloane said it is encouraging that students have the privilege of interacting with sports icons and legends, who offer coaching clinics and guidance based on their respective sports.
“Community involvement is encouraged, allowing local residents to access school facilities. This collaboration also holds the promise of revitalising the township economy, drawing spectators and boosting local businesses as outside communities come to witness sporting events at the school,” Chiloane said.
The school is home to many of South Africa’s successful athletes such as the late world 400m champion, Moses Mabaso, who earned National Springbok colors during his time at the school, ultimately receiving a scholarship at Waterkloof in Pretoria.
In a subsequent decade, twin athletes from the school represented the country in Botswana and Hungary. Among the school's standout athletes are Emma Manana, who excelled in events like 800m, 1500m, and cross-country for five consecutive years from 1990 to 1995, and John Tshabalala, an exceptional athlete in 5000m and cross-country for a similar duration.
More recently, Bontle Lekone and Thabang Dube represented South Africa in soccer in Italy, adding to the school's impressive athletic legacy.
Given this remarkable track record, Chiloane said Khanya Lesedi has earned its status as a Sports School of Specialisation, providing students with opportunities to nurture their talents alongside academic pursuits.
The school features a real racing track, through which learners can run various lengths of races, hurdles and marathons. Accessible at the school is also a tennis court, volleyball court, soccer pitch, basketball court, and various equipment that can be used for javelin, discus and long jump, among other athletic sports.
The MEC added that the specialised curriculum extends beyond physical activities, incorporating scientific innovation in physical health.
“Subjects like Sports Science and Exercise, Geography, Physical Science, and Life Science play vital roles in shaping various aspects of sports training, from pitch conditions to dietary requirements tailored to different sporting codes. ICT, coding and robotics are also taught at the school through our Multi-Certification Skills Programme,” the MEC said. – SAnews.gov.za
DikelediM
Fri, 09/22/2023 - 10:24
Minister calls for improvement in system that identifies talent in sports
While efforts have been made to transform the sports fraternity, Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Zizi Kodwa has called for the development of a framework for the early identification and development of sporting talent.
“We still preside over a divided and ill-defined sports system characterised by fissures of our past. We have no universal access to facilities,” the Minister said on Thursday in Johannesburg.
Addressing the School Sport Indaba, he said by identifying talent early in school, the youth can have the needed support, mentorship, and resources to make it as a professional sportsman or sportswoman.
“This implies the government and other stakeholders making budget available to support identified initiatives. When looking internationally, it is common to see sports stars in their teenage years making their mark in the upper echelons of world sport,” Kodwa said.
According to the EPG 2018 report, the School Sport competition system is currently indicating that there are three streams from which talent is identified and competition is staged.
The Minister said this system is currently not integrated and has some challenges.
“The system shows that there is a government-run school sport system, then there is one model where former Model C schools and private schools compete, this is where most athletes are identified, and then there is a system which the Federations use to stage the tournaments and select national athletes.
“The athletes competing in the Government-run school sport system, come from more 23 000 public schools, majority of which are previously disadvantaged with poor or no sport facilities in place.
“These are the athletes whose system of competition is poorly organized and do not have proper coaching support. The second group are athletes, from the former Model-C schools, including private schools which are properly resourced, with world-class sport facilities and proper coaching support,” the Minister said.
The last group are athletes competing in Federations-staged tournaments, most of whom must have means to attend these events with the majority being from the former Model C schools.
Upon successful competition, these athletes are awarded the National colours and may be eligible for selection into academies and underage national teams.
“Dare I say, we as all stakeholders have failed learners and young people at school and out of school, and we need a theory of change? We need to clearly spell out how School Sport is supposed to work, why it will work, and the conditions required for its successful implementation,” the Minister said.
He said the School Sport Indaba is government’s intervention to revitalise school sport in South Africa.
The Minister noted the need for investment in the development of local expertise, through running of sports academies from foundation phase as well as the establishment of bilateral agreements with other governments for the creation of development opportunities for studies in the different sporting fields like Sports Science.
Kodwa also called for the creation of internship opportunities for graduates in schools and sports clubs.
“The National Sport and Recreation Plan (NSRP) contends that provision and maintenance of facilities forms the foundation of the entire sport and recreation system, therefore if facilities backlogs are not addressed it will be difficult to achieve transformation, sport development and increased participation objectives in sport.
“This situation or reality, therefore, requires all stakeholders to put all hands-on-deck for the future of sport in our country. Only when we all collaborate, will we be able to develop athletes that can successfully compete internationally, and reach our goal of being a winning nation!
“The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture has already undertaken to address the challenge of talent identification by building multipurpose sports courts and outdoor gyms in rural and township communities, which have historically lacked these facilities,” the Minister said.
As part of the legacy projects of the Netball World Cup, multipurpose courts have been built in several communities around the country, including in Hammarsdale in KwaZulu-Natal.
Work is also being done to build netball courts in Cala Secondary School and Mchewula High School in Cala, Eastern Cape.
“There is much being done and much more to do in the country. As I have said, Government cannot do it alone. I would like to applaud all the commercial and community partners that support the work of Government to develop sport at grassroots level,” the Minister said. – SAnews.gov.za
nosihle
Fri, 09/15/2023 - 08:54
Global Unity Initiative In early September 2023, business leaders from Guernsey’s financial sector assembled in Cape Town to rekindle ties with South African businesses and with sport for development programme CoolPlay. A team from WE ARE GUERNSEY, along with 20 delegates from the island, were back in Cape Town to promote Guernsey’s financial services sector, …
“We are too unfit to compete against other clubs” says Langa rugby player
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Today we had a look at our MyPR.co.za web site statistics for the month to date of August 2023. We have deployed our own hosted stats software and have been closely watching and comparing these stats – with Google Ananlytics and our global Server Statistics programmes – in order to check the veracity of the …
Minister to establish panel to professionalise women sports
Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Zizi Kodwa has committed to set up a panel of experts to lead the establishment of a blueprint to professionalise netball and football.
This follows Banyana Banyana making history as the first senior South African national women or men’s football team to progress beyond the group stages of the FIFA World Cup.
In addition, the SPAR Proteas fought gallantly as the host nation in the first ever Netball World Cup to take place on African soil.
Addressing the ministerial breakfast in Johannesburg, Kodwa expressed his disappointment that there are still discussions on the need for women to be paid equally with men in sport.
“Women’s rights are human rights. Women must at least be paid equally in sport. If we must, we will make laws to enforce equal pay. Women athletes made the 2023 Women’s Month a memorable one.
“I am so elated about these achievements. We owe it to them to do all in our power to afford them the recognition and support they deserve and more. May today’s celebrations be the catalyst for the continued honouring of our elite sports women,” he said on Thursday.
Prior to Banyana Banyana leaving for the FIFA World Cup, which took place in Australia and New Zealand, the team was embroiled in a pay dispute with the South Africa Football Association (SAFA).
According to media reports, the dispute with SAFA was over bonus payments and contracts.
In an effort to honour women in sport, Kodwa hosted a breakfast for Banyana Banyana and the SPAR Proteas, South Africa’s national women’s football and netball teams, respectively, to celebrate them for raising South Africa’s flag high.
“While government has supported efforts to boost women and youth sports development in the country, it cannot do it alone. All stakeholders must play a role in realising the aim to professionalise women’s football and netball.
“I challenge corporate SA to join the department in ensuring the as a country, we recognise, cultivate and celebrate excellence across sporting codes,” the Minister said.
South African netball team Captain Bongi Msomi spoke of the challenges experienced by women in sport due to the lack of support and recognition.
“A couple of our players have had the opportunity to play oversees based on their hard work. We take way less than what we deserve as women in sport. It is a shame that we have to go on the court constantly and compete against professional athletes.
“There will always be a gap. It does not matter how much effort we put in. Professionalising women sports is a step we have to take and it has to come with speed,” Msomi said.
Due to Banyana Banyana playing for university teams, Vice-Captain Thembi Kgatlana said their competitors at the World Cup undermined them.
“They couldn’t believe that we didn’t have a professional league. They called us students because the majority of us play in the Hollywoodbets and universities. They undermined us but we had a fighting spirit, which led us to qualify for the last 16 of the FIFA World Cup,” she said.
Reflecting on the past year, which has been challenging for her due to an injury and losing family members during the World cup, she emphasised that it was important for her to represent her country in the tournament.
“It was very difficult. I had not been with Banyana Banyana for a year because of my torn Achilles tendon that I got in July last year at the Women's Africa Cup of Nations. The first day I got to camp for the World Cup, I got a call to say my father’s aunt passed away.
“While I wanted to go home, I couldn’t because I was part of the team that was trying to sort out the issues that we had before the World Cup. The next morning, my great grandmother passed away.
“They gave me some time to be at home. Afterwards, I left for New Zealand and three days before the World Cup started, my aunt passed away because of womb cancer,” Kgatlana said.
While she was struggling with the news of her family members, Kgatlana ultimately decided to play in the tournament.
“Two days before the match with Italy, I missed training because I had a breakdown. It was very difficult but when I saw my teammates go to training and come back with smiles, I understood what was at stake, qualifying for the last 16. I got strength from my team. They prayed for me and supported me,” she said.
The Minister announced that his department’s infrastructure team will be hard at work at Cala Senior Secondary School and Mchawula High School in Cala, Eastern Cape, building netball courts.
“What set South Africa’s bid apart to host the 2023 Netball World Cup from the rest was its potential to build a legacy in the country. Government has contributed to this legacy by constructing up to 10 multipurpose sports courts in schools,” the Minister said.
These include schools in Hammarsdale, KwaZulu-Natal, as well as some in the Northern Cape and Gauteng. – SAnews.gov.za
nosihle
Thu, 08/17/2023 - 11:31
Call to support women
Former Deputy President, Dr Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, is convinced that there’s a special place in hell for women who do not support other women.
“I can tell you without fear of contradiction, there is a special place in hell for women who don’t support women!”
The bold assertion was recently received with chuckles, hand claps and no doubt a silent “Amen” from the participants attending a National School of Government (NSG) masterclass event.
The NSG is mandated with the responsibility of ensuring that public servants comply with the provisions of established legislation, regulations and systems, and can exercise proper discretion and innovation in solving routine and complex delivery problems.
At a time when the country is commemorating Women’s Month, Mlambo-Ngcuka said sisterhood is an important ingredient in the empowerment of women.
She said that often women are the ones who leave other women behind in society.
“So we depend on you to make sure that you pay particular attention to women in society…. Your empowerment is an empowerment of the rest of the women. Sisterhood has to be one of your biggest and most important priorities,” she declared.
Mlambo-Ngcuka called on women in the public service to support “other women that you see in the streets and everywhere in the country that need support from you.”
She also stressed the importance of paying attention to the country’s younger women.
“It has to kill us when we hear that children in Grade 4 who are 10 years old cannot read… finding a plan to rescue that rests on you. This is where you show that you care about other women if we hear that girls in schools are getting pregnant … how do I use my advantage of being in the leadership of the public service to intervene in order to make sure that we address this?”
The former Deputy President was referring to the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study, which has shown that many Grade 4 pupils cannot read for meaning, something which government has committed to resolve.
Cabinet has called on South Africans to use Women’s Month which is commemorated annually in August, not only to honour women who fought for the country’s freedom, but also to play their part in building a society that supports women empowerment and guarantees the safety of women and children.
This year, Women’s Month is being commemorated under the theme: “Accelerating socio-economic opportunities for empowerment of women” to pay tribute to the more than 20 000 women who marched to the Union Buildings in 1956 to protest against the oppressive pass laws of the apartheid government.
The former chair of Parliament’s Public Service Committee reflected on working with the then Public Service and Administration Minister, Zola Skweyiya. The committee worked with the Minister in reconfiguring the new public service after following the dawn of democracy in 1994.
Gender representation
Government at the time came up with the Batho Pele policy of which September 2022 marked 25 years since South Africa adopted the Batho Pele (putting people first) Principles and the White Paper on Transforming Public Service Delivery.
Batho Pele is an inclusive concept that refers to all government policies, strategies and programmes aimed at transforming public service delivery.
She recalled how Skweyiya was “very emphatic” that the policy must reflect “equity in the system so that the citizen that is least served … who always falls between the cracks must feel thatgovernment sees them.
“And obviously women were high on that agenda. We wanted Batho Pele to address the issue of gender representation in the civil service but also the civil servant sensitivity about the gender discrimination of women in the society they are employed to serve,” she explained.
While women have gone on to attain much over the years, Mlambo-Ngcuka said the achievements of women must be celebrated and to “never forget the work that still awaits us.”
“Our work is not yet done - there is still much more that we still need to do,” said the former Executive Director of United Nations Women.
Mlambo-Ngcuka referred to the strides made by the SPAR Proteas netball women’s team and Banyana Banyana who made the country proud at their respective World Cup tournaments recently.
Mentorship
Having served the public service in various roles including that of Minister of Minerals and Energy, she stressed the sector’s importance saying it is the “backbone of government”. She highlighted that while women were continuing to break barriers, they should also mentor others.
“Because there is no point if we are breaking the glass ceiling for yourselves when you're not doing anything for the rest of society. We have to do these things simultaneously.”
“… So lifting as you climb has to be your mantra and the nice thing about mentorship is that it’s not hard, it has to come from here,” she said as she pointed towards her heart.
In his Women’s Day address, President Cyril Ramaphosa encouraged all sectors of society to advance and improve the lives of the women and girls of South Africa.
“We must mobilise all of society to support the women of our country on their road to empowerment and the improvement of their lives. As government, we are irrevocably committed to continuing the process of advancing and improving the lives of the women and girls of South Africa,” he said.
While it is said that a woman’s work is never done, we all can lend a hand in ensuring that hell freezes over to advance the interests of all women. –SAnews.gov.za
Neo
Wed, 08/16/2023 - 14:03
Government pilots online platform for protection orders
Government is piloting a system in a number of provinces that will enable victims of domestic violence to apply for protection orders online.
“The violence perpetrated by men against women and girls is an assault on our common humanity. Women do not feel safe in their homes, on the street, in places of work and study and worship,” President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Wednesday.
The President made these remarks during his keynote address at the commemoration of Women’s Day at the Union Buildings in Pretoria.
He told South Africans that government has responded to the call for tougher bail conditions for perpetrators of gender-based violence (GBV).
“Effective from earlier this month, no police bail may be granted to persons charged with rape or if the victim was in a domestic relationship with the perpetrator. Such bail applications must be formally applied for in court. If the accused was in a domestic relationship with the alleged victim, the court has to issue a protection order against them before releasing them on bail.
“Also effective from earlier this month, gang or serial rapists face life imprisonment, as do perpetrators of date rape, marital rape, child rape and incest,” the President said.
In addition, as of earlier this month, gang or serial rapists face life imprisonment, as do perpetrators of date rape, marital rape, child rape and incest.
This year’s Women’s Month is being celebrated under the theme: ‘Accelerating Socio-Economic Opportunities for Women’s Empowerment'. This theme highlights the need to ensure that all women have access to participate equally in all areas of human endeavour.
“Women do not feel safe in their homes, on the street, in places of work and study and worship. It was in response to this crisis that the first Presidential Summit on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide in 2018 made a firm commitment to undertake a comprehensive, effective and united response.
“Through an extensive consultative process, the National Strategic Plan to Combat Gender-Based Violence and Femicide was launched three years ago. Since then, it has made important progress,” the President said.
More than 12 000 police members have received training to respond effectively to gender-based violence and to focus on the needs of victims.
More than one million DNA collection kits have been delivered to police stations around the country since 2019 and there are now just over 1 000 victim friendly rooms at police stations countrywide.
“Over the last year, we opened three new Thuthuzela Care Centres for victims of gender-based violence, bringing the national total to 62. We are improving access to shelters and associated services for survivors of gender-based violence.
“In January last year, I signed into law three key pieces of legislation, namely the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act, the Criminal and Related Matters Amendment Act, and the Domestic Violence Amendment Act,” the President said.
He said these new laws provide greater protection to survivors of gender-based violence, to ensure that perpetrators are no longer able to evade prosecution, and to strengthen measures to prevent gender-based violence.
Minister in the Presidency responsible for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, said while South Africa has made strides to improve the lives of women since democracy a lot more still needs to be done.
“South Africa is not free…it will only be free when we are free as women. Let us take the District Development Model approach to address GBV. In every ward, every councillor must be at the forefront of the fight against GBV and the religious leader in that ward must also be at the forefront of fighting against GBV.
“Women must have access to justice. They are very serious problems with women accessing justice. The lgbtqia+ community must stop being killed and discriminated against,” the Minister said.
Women in sport
The President paid tribute to the women of the country who are excelling in sport.
“Banyana Banyana and the Protea Netball Team did our country proud recently. Banyana Banyana won the African Women’s Cup and reached the top 16 in the Women’s FIFA World Cup and our Netball Team played very well and are now ranked 6th in the world.
“As a country, we are very proud of our women as they fly South Africa’s flag high. We need to pay them well and their pay must be equal to that of men and even exceed what we pay men,” Ramaphosa said.
Dlamini Zuma echoed the President’s sentiments as she congratulated Banyana Banyana for making history under difficult conditions.
“There is no women soccer league in the country and they get paid less than their male counterparts. The wage gap in South Africa is still there. Our ancestors are happy because Banyana Banyana has made history,” the Minister said.
Premier of Gauteng Panyaza Lesufi said the 9th of August is an affirmation that women are special.
“The 9th of August is not a ritual. It is an affirmation that we will empower women, it is an affirmation that will empower and support women,” he said. – SAnews.gov.za
nosihle
Wed, 08/09/2023 - 15:48
SA's sportswomen praised for reaching new heights
President Cyril Ramaphosa has lauded female athletes for reaching new heights and achieving remarkable accomplishments across a number of sporting codes.
In his weekly newsletter on Monday, the President said this has been a great year for women’s sport in South Africa and the nation is exhilarated by the successes of sportswomen on the field, track and pitch.
“Our female athletes have reached new heights across a number of sporting codes, and we have hosted several women’s international sports tournaments.
“Our nation’s sportswomen have proven themselves, time and again. It is up to us, as a society, to provide the necessary environment that will enable a new generation of women and girls to thrive and excel in sport,” the President said.
SA’s women’s national football team, Banyana Banyana, who are the reigning Women’s Africa Cup of Nations champions, has delivered some stunning performances in the FIFA Women’s World Cup taking place in Australia and New Zealand.
The women’s netball team, the Proteas, also put in a strong showing at the Netball World Cup that ended in Cape Town on Sunday.
In February, the country hosted the first ICC Women’s T20 Cricket World Cup to take place on African soil. Our national team made history as the first South African team to reach the final.
The President said that many of these fine sportswomen have excelled despite humble beginnings, overcoming adversity and achieving success despite the odds.
“As we prepare to celebrate Women’s Day later this week, these many achievements are a reminder of how far we have come in building a South Africa where women are full and equal participants in society. They are also a reminder of how much further we still need to go,” he said.
President Ramaphosa said that the increased participation of women and girls in sport supports women’s empowerment and advances gender equality.
He highlighted that earlier this year, UN Women launched the Sports for Generation Equality Initiative. It noted that sport holds enormous capacity to propel women and girls’ empowerment. Female athletes are inspiring role models and can make the most of their status “to raise awareness around gender issues and to demand change”.
The President added that competing in sports fosters a sense of empowerment among women, helping them build confidence in their abilities and break gender stereotypes. Through sports, he said, women can challenge societal norms, experiencing personal growth and achievement.
He said that all of these can enable women and girls to be more assertive and confident in society, and can support the fight against discrimination and gender-based violence.
“As government, we want to increase the representation of women in sport and to promote the development of women’s sports both through mass participation and at an elite level.
“There are a number of government programmes to develop mass participation in women’s sports. There are also initiatives supported by the private sector and international development partners," he said.
When it comes to elite athletes, the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee’s ‘Operation Excellence’ programme provides preparatory support to Olympians and Paralympians.
The President pointed out that funding and sponsorship predominantly flow towards male-dominated team sports such as football, cricket, and rugby. He said these sports have well-established professional leagues, unlike women's football, cricket, and rugby.
The President highlighted that this situation adds to the significant difference in pay between female athletes and their male counterparts.
“Equal pay for work of equal value is one of most fundamental tenets of gender equality. The sporting fraternity is neither exceptional nor is it exempt.
“That female athletes should still earn less than their male counterparts is an affront to our nation’s sportswomen, more so at a time when the achievements of some of our women’s sports teams surpass those of our men’s teams,” the President said.
He called on sponsors and sporting bodies to direct greater resources to women’s sports.
President Ramaphosa said it is only through greater sponsorship and support that women’s sport will be able to grow and attract larger audiences. As they attract a greater following, he said, women’s sports events will provide greater value to sponsors.
The President added that the success of the major women’s sports tournaments that have been hosted in South Africa will no doubt bolster our bid to host the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2027.
“Working together as government, business and the sporting fraternity we can level the playing field for women’s sports in our country. And by so doing, we will take another step towards a more equal society,” he said. – SAnews.gov.za
DikelediM
Mon, 08/07/2023 - 10:25
Government keen to see the growth of netball in SA
In a bid to facilitate the growth of netball in the country, government will build a netball exclusive arena, President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Sunday.
The President made the announcement during the closing ceremony of the Netball World Cup held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre over the past 10 days.
The tournament was held on African soil for the first time.
“One of the things that’s been said...is that we need to ensure that netball grows in South Africa. To enable it to grow, we must build netball facilities throughout the country.
“I’m happy to say that your closing ceremony is on Women's Month here in South Africa. So therefore, the gift that we are going to give to the women of South Africa and also the women around the world is to build a netball arena. We are going to do it,” President Ramaphosa said.
The first citizen was in attendance of the final match of the tournament on Sunday which culminated in Australia beating England to take home the trophy.
The President sent his congratulations to all the countries that took part in the tournament.
“I want to congratulate the winning team, the number one, number two and number three. But also to say congratulations to all who have been participating in this tournament. You are all winners.
“I have been watching your sport for the past ten days and I must tell you, I have become a new fan,” he said.
President Ramaphosa commended the celebratory atmosphere that was created by crowds that attended matches throughout the tournament.
“I also want to congratulate you for the vibe as young people would say, for the wonderful vibe.
“There has been a very outstanding vibe here and I felt it today. You created a very wonderful African vibe and I’m glad that all the other nations participated in the wonderful spirit that prevailed in this tournament,” President Ramaphosa said. – SAnews.gov.za
NeoB
Sun, 08/06/2023 - 21:14
President Ramaphosa to attend Netball World Cup closing
President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to attend and deliver remarks at the final match of the Netball World Cup held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre in the Western Cape.
This has been the first instance where an African country has hosted the tournament.
“As the host nation, we have been honoured to welcome players and supporters from all over the globe and we look forward to an exciting final and the successful conclusion of the tournament.
“Of course we encourage our guests to extend their stay and be inspired in new ways by the many amazing experiences South Africa has to offer,” President Ramaphosa.
On Sunday, the Spar Proteas bowed out of the tournament with a sixth place finish following their defeat to Uganda. – SAnews.gov.za
NeoB
Sun, 08/06/2023 - 13:41
President Cyril Ramaphosa will attend the final match of the Netball World Cup 2023 and deliver brief remarks at the Closing Ceremony of the competition in Cape Town on Sunday, 06 August 2023.
South Africa has been the first African host of this global tournament which has been staged at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.
President Ramaphosa has commended South Africa's national team, the Spar Proteas, on their gallant progress through the pool stage of the tournament.
President Ramaphosa said: “As the host nation, we have been honoured to welcome players and supporters from all over the globe and we look forward to an exciting final and the successful conclusion of the tournament.
“Of course we encourage our guests to extend their stay and be inspired in new ways by the many amazing experiences South Africa has to offer.”
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Presidency: Republic of South Africa.