Sport in Africa (SCSA) Zone VI Council of Ministers, and the Troika to South
Africa
25 November 2007
Sport and Recreation Minister, Rev Dr Makhenkesi Stofile assumed leadership
of both the Supreme Council for Sport in Africa (SCSA) Zone VI Council of
Ministers, and the Troika, which is the Consultative Core Group for African
Union Ministers of Sport in Southern African Development Community (SADC) on
Saturday, 24 November 2007. The SCSA's change of leadership is linked to South
Africa's hosting of the 2008 Zone VI under 20 Youth Games to be held in
Potchefstrooom, North West, in October 2008.
Rev Stofile will lead the Council and the Troika for a period of two years
until he hands over to Swaziland, which is the next host after South Africa, of
the Zone VI U/20 Youth Games. For the next two years, the Troika will be made
of sport Ministers from Namibia, Swaziland and South Africa.
Minister Stofile takes over from Honourable John Mutorwa, Minister of Youth,
National Service, Sport and Culture of the Republic of Namibia, whose
leadership was, according to the Council of Ministers, characterised by his
"commitment to sport and development in the Zone and his most able and
formidable Chairmanship for the past two years".
Representing South Africa at the Council of Ministers' meeting, Sport and
Recreation Deputy Minister, Mr Gert Oosthuizen presented a progress report on
the 2010 Federation of International Football Association (Fifa) World Cup and
the 2008 Zone VI Games, of which he is Chairperson.
Attending the Council of Ministers' meeting was:
Honourable Minister John Mutorwa, (Namibia and Chairperson), Honourable
Minister M Lepono (Lesotho); Honourable Minister MR Pheto (Botswana);
Honourable Minister JM Barrica (Angola); Honourable Deputy Minister H Ndlovu
(Swaziland); Honourable Deputy Minister G Oosthuizen (South Africa); Honourable
Deputy Minister C Mchacha (Malawi); Honourable Deputy Minister Carlos de Souza
(Mozambique).
The Ministers' meeting was preceded by meetings of different committees of
the Zone which took place in South Africa from 19 to 24 November, focusing
among others, on women in sport, people with disabilities, and sport
development in the Zone.
The Zone VI U/20 Youth Games first took place in Mozambique in 2004. They
are an extension of the SCSA, which was created by the erstwhile Organisation
of African Unity, to co-ordinate sport on the African continent. The SCSA
divided Africa into seven competition zones, due to the vastness of the
continent and for financial prudence. South Africa was grouped into Zone VI,
along with Angola, Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Lesotho, Namibia, Swaziland,
Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The Zone VI Council of Ministers initiated the biannual games, with the host
countries to coincide with the chairmanship of the body. The Heads of State of
the SADC countries resolved to use Zone VI as the implementing agent of all the
SADC sport programmes. This enabled several SADC states that are not Zone VI
members to also participate in the Zone VI Games, namely Tanzania, the
Democratic Republic of Congo, Mauritius and Seychelles. The main objective of
the games is to prepare the region's athletes for major competitions such as
the All Africa Games, the Commonwealth Games and the Olympic Games, as well as
international championships of the various sporting codes.
Enquiries:
Mr Dan Moyo
2008 SCSA Zone VI Games Chief Executive Officer
Cell: 082 370 9506
Mr Manase Makwela
Department Spokesperson
Cell: 082 782 1759
Issued by: Sport and Recreation South Africa
25 November 2007
