Media Alert: Ministry congratulates Gezelle Magerman for winning gold medal

Ministry of Cultural Affairs and Sport congratulates Gezelle Magerman for winning our country's first gold medal at the Youth Olympics

At the Youth Olympic Games in China, a child of this province, Gezelle Magerman, made us proud by scooping the very first gold medal for South Africa.

Gezelle, a pupil from La Rochelle Girls’ High in Paarl has flown the South African flag high and showcased the wealth of talent which exists not only in this province but in the rest of the country.

Her magnificent achievement at the Youth Olympics is a testament of our local athletes’ competitiveness on the international stage.

I will join the Executive Mayor of Saldanha Bay, Francois Schippers, in welcoming Gezelle Magerman at Cape Town International Airport upon her return from the Olympic Games.

It is young people like Gezelle who propel the Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport (DCAS) to keep working hard in order to create world–class sports women and men from every corner of this province.

It is our belief that sport can play an important role in uplifting young people by keeping them off the streets and making them feel part of a team– away from gangs and other risky behavioural patterns. 

We hope that youngsters like Gezelle can serve as an inspiration for young people living in the province.