Programme director
Reverend Williams
South African Police Service (SAPS) national rugby executive chairperson, deputy National commissioner, Hlela
Provincial commissioner, Beetha
National and provincial rugby executive committee members
Assistant Commissioner, Engelbrecht
Provincial coaches
Caretakers and members of technical support teams
Members of provincial teams
Ladies and gentlemen
The overwhelming majority of our people would concur with former United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan that people in every nation love sport, and that its value fairness, teamwork, and pursuit of excellence are universal. The high-octane performance of the Springboks amplified by Morne Steyn’s conversion and score of two penalties within 10 minutes on Saturday at Loftus Versfeld sealed a victory reminiscent of Die Bokke’s 2007 world cup triumph.
The phenomenal support that the Springboks and Bafana Bafana enjoyed from all sections of our communities throughout the rugby test series and FIFA Confederation Cup attest to Kofi Annan’s assertion that at its best, sports brings people together; no matter their origin, background, religious belief or economic status. The caveat as stated by the former United Nations secretary general is that only at its zenith does sport achieve that which our communities are yearning for: peaceful and safe neighbourhoods in order to enjoy the freedoms guaranteed by our constitution.
In the course of discharging your duties to protect and serve our communities as police officers, you are routinely exposed to specific kinds of traumatic experiences and daily pressures that require a certain defensive toughness of attitude and training. Sometimes, however, the stress is just too much to take, especially for police officers. Every police officer has his or her fair share of a particular traumatic experience such as gruesome accident or murder, a vicious crime against a child, a close personal brush with death or serious injury of a partner, the shooting of a perpetrator or innocent civilian.
Numbed responsiveness, impaired memory alternating with intrusive, disturbing images of the incident, irritability, hyper-vigilance, impaired concentration, sleep disturbance, anxiety, depression, phobic avoidance, social withdrawal and substance abuse are some of the symptoms of health disturbances that are compounded by work demands that do not conform to the new philosophy of quality policing. Our failure to recognise and reward personal accomplishment of individual members of the service also leads to their emotional exhaustion.
Programme director, participation is sports, recreational activities and rugby championships such as this that we have been afforded the honour and the privilege to host as a province are important to improve the mental health, reduce stress and depression, and enhance the emotional and psychological well being of our police members.
Although your respective teams might be equal in strength, only the most disciplined team that abides with the rules of fair play will emerge as champions. As we have learnt in fighting crime, only a team that harnesses the skills, experience and expertise of each individual member of its team and plays as a unit and not as individuals will be guaranteed a win. The only team that will win even against criminals is the one that strives for excellence, a team that has absolute faith in the collective strength of our people and believes that no challenge is insurmountable if we work together with our communities.
In our quest to win on the field of play, none of us should emulate acts contrary to good sportsmanship such as we have witnessed on Saturday or reduce our numbers in the fight against crime by charging dangerously at members of other teams. In pursuit of a win, we should not forget that the championship is about strengthening friendships and not sowing enmity.
This championship is about recharging for a camaraderie that should sent a signal to criminals that their parasitic activities are indeed numbered because our police officers are fit to tackle them, outrun them and score decisive victories against them. Like in the game of rugby, we should be ready to work together with our communities to form a solid scrum in defence of our streets, schools and homes against the scourge of crime.
In conclusion, we trust that this championship will motivate all participants to strive towards the accomplishment of the old Latin concept; ‘mens sana in corpora sano’ translated sound mind in a sound body. We should pursue the objective of the concept with zeal and vigour to improve the overall personal health, well being and fitness level of our members.
We are confident that the Springbok’s second test victory over the British and Irish Lions on Saturday and an unassailable 2 to 0 series lead has motivated all of us as participants to raise the standard of this year’s championship. When the going gets touch, remember that our respective teams and individual players will not be remembered for quitting because we were weak, but rather for what we endured because we were strong.
On behalf of Minister Nathi Mthethwa, I am highly honoured to declare the 2009 South African Police Service National Rugby Championship officially opened and wish all of you the best for possible selection in the national team that will represent us at the next World Police and Fire Games.
Ke a leboga
Baie Dankie
Mag die beste span wen.
Issued by: Department of Public Safety, North West Provincial Government
29 July 2009
Source: Department of Public Safety, North West Provincial Government
(http://www.nwpg.gov.za/public_safety/PSdefault.html)
