N Mtsweni: Launch of Vulombe soccer and netball tournament

8 September 2006

Good morning everyone

May I first extend my appreciation to members of the media for making it to
this media launch and for your effort of informing the public about what is
happening in the country. Having the media to this launch, the public in
general will be informed about the various sport and recreation
developments.

The Department of Culture, Sport and Recreation is honoured to launch the
soccer and netball tournament for the 53 high schools in the Nkomazi Region.
All the schools are congratulated for taking part at this sponsored tournament
and in particular the ones that managed to make it to the finals which will be
played tomorrow at Kamaqhekeza stadium. May I first thank Mr Mnisi from Vulombe
for realising that our kids are our tomorrow generation. By sponsoring the
schools for this kind of tournaments is actually opening the doors for our kids
to even go further with their soccer and netball skills as you are aware that
as a country we need to prepare our players for 2010 and as a province we are
targeting to at least have two soccer stars who will represent the province at
the Bafana Bafana by then.

Maybe to give a background of who the sponsor is: Vulombe is a company
contracted to Transvaal Suiker Beperk (TSB) to supply Selati sugar direct to
retailers. The director of the company Mr Mnisi from the Nkomazi area has
pledged to assist about 53 schools in the Nkomazi area in terms of soccer and
netball development. He will be doing this in a form of an annual tournament
which starts this year, 2006, to 2008. With the passage of time and possible
recruitment of extra sponsors the number of schools benefiting from this
initiative is likely to be increased.

The Department of Culture, Sport and Recreation, Ehlanzeni Region is
co-ordinating these games in conjunction with Vulombe and in partnership with
schools and federations. This is also part of implementing the Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) we signed with the education department early this
year.

Let me declare the prizes for the winners of the 2006 tournament as
follows:

Position prizes:
1 - two computers
2 - one computer
3 - R1 000.00
4 - R500,00.
.
Both the soccer and netball tournaments will receive the above-mentioned
prizes. There will also be prizes for best players and top goal scorers of the
tournament.

Already preliminary eliminations have taken place in both netball and
soccer.

Members of the media are invited to the finals that will take place on the
9th of September 2006 at Kamaqhekeza stadium, Nkomazi Municipality starting at
09h00.

Let me also remind everyone that this is Heritage, Tourism month and also
that this is Readerthon week whereby everyone is expected to read a book
irrespective of which language it is written in but to take part in reading to
broaden our knowledge. I hope you’ll all get some books to read as I also have
my book wherever I go to keep myself reading.

I have no doubt that as the tournament starts all the schools which have
made it to the finals will strive to get prizes for their schools, and don’t
forget that all participants are winners as well.

Thank you

I therefore officially launch the tournament.

Let the tournament begins.

Ngiyathokoza

Issued by: Department of Culture, Sport and Recreation, Mpumalanga
Provincial Government
8 September 2006