Team Western Cape takes 3rd place at Indigenous Games

The Western Cape Team that participated in the 12th South African Indigenous Games Festival in Polokwane from 22 to 29 September 2017 achieved outstanding results and was placed third overall of the 9 provinces.

 

The festival was hosted by South African Sport and Recreation South Africa and the Sport Development component of the Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport (DCAS) was responsible for the team selection and training the participants in the Western Cape ahead of the games.

 

114 participants from across the province took part in the following 8 sport codes: Dibeke, Diketo, Drie Stokkies, Intonga, Jukskei, Kgati, Kho-Kho, Morabaraba and Ncuva. The aim of the festival is to educate and affirm our cultural pride as South Africans.

 

Some of the highlights for team Western Cape included a record-breaking jump of 15.42 meters in Drie Stokkies for Junior Mpefu (a leaner at Desmond Tutu High School in Paarl). Team Western Cape also received gold in Intonga after Sinethemba Sikhotsi beat her opponent from the Eastern Cape. “It was an amazing feeling winning gold, I trained hard and followed my coach’s advice and gave it my all,” said Sinethemba.

 

Another gold was awarded to the Jukskei Development team who won all their games throughout the festival. The team consists of players who only started playing Jukskei at the beginning of 2017 at the DCAS, Mass participation; Opportunity and access; Development and growth (MOD) Programme.

 

Deputy Director, Philasande Macwili from DCAS, Sport Development says team Western Cape did exceptionally well under trying circumstances and the standard of their performance has improved tremendously. “After ending 7th last year, team Western Cape is back. Our Drie Stokkies, Intonga, Jukskei and Kgati participants brought in the medals for us this year. Congratulations team Western Cape!”, he said.

 

DCAS encourages youth to take part in indigenous games in their communities. Let us unite and grow our young sporting talent BETTER TOGETHER.