International Disability Sports Day and Launch of Western Cape Disability Sports Body | Western Cape Government

News

International Disability Sports Day and Launch of Western Cape Disability Sports Body

29 November 2004
Approximately 600 disabled and mentally challenged athletes of the Western Cape will take part in Disability Sports Day to be held at Vygieskraal Stadium, in Rylands, Cape Town on Thursday, 2 December 2004 to coincide with the international day for the disabled on Friday, 3rd December. All the media are invited to attend.

The Disability Sports Day was born out of a recent visit by MEC Stali to the Paralympics held in Athens, Greece and a visit to Georgia State University, which is world renowned for its pioneering work in the development and promotion of disabled sport.

The programme will commence at 8h30 with a walkathon from Athlone Stadium to Vygieskraal. The walkathon will include wheelchairs, visually impaired and the intellectually challenged. Athletes that represented South Africa in the Global Games in Sweden three months ago, SA Games Athletes and players from Ajax Cape Town and Santos will also join the walkathon.

Mr Stali says “ I particularly decided to attend the paralympics because I have a keen interest in the marginalized sport in the Province. I want to contribute to the campaign to promote a harmonious Home for All where all citizens, irrespective of race, colour, gender, and physical and mental disability do feel at home and I want to do this through sport.”

Besides sports, other activities of the day will include Arts and Craft exhibitions by disabled persons, dance and songs by learners with special needs. The highlight of the day will be launch of Diswec (Disability Sport, Western Cape) a structure responsible for the administration of disability sport in the Western Cape. The Department of Cultural Affairs, Sport and Recreation spends about R450 000 on disability sport annually, R150 000 to Diswec and its affiliates and R300 000 to the LSEN structure (Learners with Special Needs). The official launch of Diswec will take place at Simondium Lodge on the same day at 19h00.

Issued by:
Mandla Yeki
Media Liaison Officer
Dept of Cultural, Affairs, Sport and Recreation
Tel: (021) 483 9804
Mobile: 082 5533 477
Email: myeki@pgwc.gov.za

A Home for All ~ 'n Tuiste vir Almal ~ iKaya Lethu Sonke
www.westerncape.gov.za

Media Enquiries: