The Northern Cape Department of Sport, Arts and Culture will be hosting the annual Chief Albert Luthuli Games in Upington on 29 and 30 August 2014. The games are held in recognition of the need for a holistic, sustainable and integrated sport development programme that seeks to nurture talent within the province of the Northern Cape.
Sport plays an integral role in the process of nation-building and it is time that this role is recognised. Sport is an investment. It is firstly an investment in the health, vitality and productivity of the community members of the province and secondly an investment in their future.
As a department, we are of the firm belief that sport has enormous social and economic values to the province. Therefore by hosting the Albert Luthuli Games we are investing in our youth as it has multiple social benefits for the participants and communities from which they derive. They are looking at long term health benefits, stronger and more secure communities, social cohesion, reduction of crime and communities free from alcohol and drugs. Tournaments such as the Albert Luthuli Games can also empower and promote the inclusion of marginalised groups.
The participants and teams at the provincial games are the winners of the District Competitions and therefore we can safely say that the best of the best are competing against each other for the Provincial Honours.
The games are held in honour of Chief Albert Luthuli who was the first South African to receive the Noble Peace Prize in 1961. Chief Albert Luthuli believed that the Road to Freedom is via the Cross, meaning that he was a religious person and did not believe in violence, and as a part of his principles of peace , so the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture wants to instil a culture of nation building and social cohesion through sport.
The games will be officially opened by the MEC for Sport, Arts and Culture, Lebogang Motlhaping, on the 29 August 2014 at the AJ Ferreira School in Upington at 17:00.
The media is hereby invited to both the official opening of the games and the games itself which will be taking place the Toll Speelman Hall (Volley Ball ) and the Robert Gunda Stadium (Basket Ball and Netball).
Enquiries:
Conrad Fortune
Media Liaison Officer,
Cell: 079 873 0679
Fax : 086 635 1016
