All systems go for Mandela Sports Day

It’s all systems go for the 2014 edition of the Nelson Mandela Sport and Culture Day on 22 November at the Union Buildings in Tshwane.

The day’s events will feature a cycling race, a road running/walk race, and a fun walk. The sporting events will be followed by musical entertainment hosted on the lawns of the Union Buildings from 12pm to 6pm.

Sport Minister Fikile Mbalula said all system were ready for the big day. the event’s objective he said was to create “social cohesion, nation building and unity in our diversity”.

“This day was initiated in order to bring South Africans together to demonstrate their depth of commitment to the late President Nelson Mandela’s vision of sports and culture as a nation builder and as a unifying force for a cohesive society,” he said.

Spearheaded by the departments of Sport and Recreation and the Arts and Culture, Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa said he too was delighted to announce that his department had pulled off all stops for the big day.

“There is nothing stopping us now. We are ready to rumble on the big day. I hope to do one or so activities on the day too, be it walking or cycling,” Mthethwa said. The day will feature a music and cultural concert as well as sporting activities and among the attractions will be Zulu maskandi music phenomenon Phuzekhemisi and many other artists of different music genres who will entertain the multitudes expected to descend on the Union Buildings on the day.

Among those taking part in the events of the day with Mbalula himself, Deputy President Cyril Ramapahosa said he would take part in one of the events, while Mbalula expressed his ambition to ride in the 67km cycling race.