Games
28 March 2007
Correctional Services Minister Balfour welcomes a victorious 147 member team
that brought 162 individual medals from World Police and Fire Games at the OR
Tambo International Airport today.
Correctional Services Minister Ngconde Balfour says his department and the
South African Police Services should mobilise fire departments of
municipalities and prepare the country to bid for the 2015 World Police and
Fire Games to be held in South Africa.
An excited Minister Balfour welcomed a 147 member team of Correctional
Services that brought back 162 individual medals from the 2007 biennial World
Police and Fire Games in Adelaide, Australia, at the OR Tambo International
Airport this morning. He announced that a joint task team of South African
Police Service and Correctional Services has been established to bring on board
the fire departments of metros to increase South Africa's participation in the
games that are now regarding as second to Olympic Games in terms of mass sport
participation. He called on the task team to also canvas to change the name of
the games to be World Corrections, Police and Fire Games by 2015.
Among the athletes that brought gold, silver and bronze medals in tennis,
darts, athletics, cycling and soccer, was Correctional Services half marathon
runner, Patrick Kaotsane, who broke two World Police and Fire Games records in
10 000 and 5 000 kilometre distances.
The team broke into victory songs and displayed their 79 gold medals, 61
silver medals and 22 bronze medals won in the games when Minister Balfour,
Ekurhuleni Metro Executive Mayor Duma Nkosi and former Bafana Bafana player
Helman Mkhalele arrived for the media conference this morning.
Minister Balfour said the landing of the team at OR Tambo International
Airport named after "our freedom struggle icon OR with the medals, gives
meaning to the ideals for which Comrade OR Tambo spent his life." Minister
Balfour said his profound understanding and commitment to ensure that sport
played its role in building a nation "of our dreams," is being shared by more
and more South Africans.
"You make us proud of being South Africans and also of belonging to
Correctional Services," Minister Balfour said. He called on members of the team
to continue with their hard work and commitment to excellence, and also to
serve as models to all offenders as they do their day-to-day work of
rehabilitating offenders and promoting sustainable social reintegration. He
called on the South African team to ensure that the country moves from the
eighth position in 2007 to the third position among the 60 participating
countries when the games are held in British Columbia in 2009.
Executive Mayor Nkosi joined Minister Balfour in congratulating the team and
expressed a wish that some of the young and brilliant soccer players that
brought home gold medals could make it into the 2010 national squad.
Helman Mkhalele, who served as a technical coach to Correctional Services
soccer team, said he was proud to have been part of preparing a team that came
back victorious. He also expressed excitement at working closely with
Correctional Services soccer team which demonstrated great enthusiasm and
potential.
Facts and figures on the Correctional Services participation in world police
and fire games, Adelaide 16-25 March 2007:
Correctional Services sent a 147 member team composed of 137 sports men and
women and 10 officials to the 12th World Police and Fire Games in Adelaide �
Australia from 16�25 March 2007.
The team under the leadership of Regional Commissioner Zack Modise of Free
State and Northern Cape did the department and the country proud by bringing
162 individual medals with 79 of them gold, 61 silver and 22 individual bronze
medals.
Correctional Services collected gold medals in tennis, darts, athletics,
cycling, soccer, with our half marathon runner, Patrick Kaotsane breaking two
World Police and Fire Games records in 10 000 and 5000 kilometre distances.
Together with the South African Police Service team, Correctional Services
helped in improving South Africa's position in the Worlds Police and Fire Games
to position eight out of 60 participating countries of the world. South Africa
follows Australia, United State of America (USA), Spain, Russia, United
Kingdom, Canada and Germany, leaving behind 52 countries.
The South African team participated in at least 15 sporting codes which
include: rugby, netball, cycling, half marathon, karate, pistol shooting,
squash, tug-of-war, darts, golf, lawn bowling, soccer, tennis, track and field
events and volleyball.
The biennial World Police and Fire Games were commenced in 1985 in USA as a
platform for celebrating the talents and contributions of community and public
safety agencies to the wellbeing of society. The games are second to the
Olympic games in terms of numbers of participants, registering over 8 000
athletes from 60 countries in Adelaide this month.
Through promoting sports among officials, the Department of Correctional
Services is investing in its greatest resource, human capital, and that is
absolutely critical in delivering labour intensive and sensitive services of
correcting the offending behaviour among inmates and improving public
safety.
Enquiries:
Manelisi Wolela
Tel: (012) 305 8204
Cell: 083 626 0304
E-mail: Manelisi.wolela@dcs.gov.za
Issued by: Department of Correctional Services
28 March 2007
