KZN successful in defence of National Indigenous Games title

Team KwaZulu-Natal defended the National Indigenous Games title, dominating the competition and claiming the first prize for the fourth time in a row. The team won gold in dibeke, khokho, amagende (stones), incuva, inqathu (skipping), umlabalaba, boxing and jukskei juniors. 
The 180-strong team, consisting of athletes and support staff, left KZN last week confident of victory due to the intense preparations athletes had undergone ahead of the tournament. Speaking during a three-day camp in Newcastle before heading to Pretoria, both athletes and coaching staff were confident of making the people of KZN proud. Having beaten competition from the North West and Limpopo, who came second and third respectively in the 2014 competition, the success by KwaZulu-Natal augurs well for the promotion and preservation of the province’s cultural heritage through sport and recreation.
The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Sport and Recreation is investing enormous resources in ensuring this form of sport continues to be enjoyed by generations to come. 
While there is a competitive spirit among participants, the Indigenous Games Festival has become a family-orientated event with activities for young and old, highlighting the celebration of South Africa’s Heritage Month. 
Other sport codes that form the indigenous games include drie stokkies and induku (stick-fighting). Although there is no age restriction, participants are categorised into different age groups in contact sport like stick-fighting.
For the first time regular registered jukskei players also participated together with the development players, and KZN very proudly attained a bronze medal in this section.