SA panning champs head for Sweden

It is all systems go for SA gold panning champs to fly the South African Flag High at this years’ World Championship set to take place in Kopparberg, Sweden from August 9, 2014.

Led by newly appointed MEC for Culture, Sport and Recreation Ms Norah Mahlangu – Mabena, the South African 24 member team will jet off to Sweden on Thursday with the aim to bring home more medals than they achieved at lasts year Championship in Italy where they bagged 11 medals.

The team that will be representing the country was selected in 2013 during the National Gold Panning Championships, which is held annually in Pilgrims Rest, and will this year compete for top world honours in the categories Proficient Men, Proficient Women, Junior, Veteran and Traditional Panners at the World Championship.

“This championship comes at a very exciting time where we recently saw team SA performing exceptionally well in Glasgow, Scotland at this year’s Commonwealth games.

The performance of Team SA in Glasgow has given us more confidence in our Gold Panning Champions and we believe without doubt that they will represent us well in Sweden,” said MEC Mahlangu.

Gold Panning is a recreational activity that has been very instrumental in fostering social cohesion in the society, the department is therefore committed to working together with the SA Gold Panning Association to advance and promote the sport in the country.

The sport is very easy to get into. Panners receive a pan and a bucket of sand in which a number of gold nuggets are hidden. The winners must retrieve the most nuggets in the shortest time.