Limpopo to host national indigenous games

The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture will host the South African Indigenous Games Festival themed MygamesMyrootsMyfuture from 19 to 24 September at the Polokwane Cricket Grounds and old Peter Mokaba Stadium, Spokesperson for the department, Malesela Ramaoka informed Polokwane Observer on Tuesday.
“We are excited to stage such a prestigious event which is aimed at reviving and popularising cultural activities that have a particular appeal to vast sectors of South African communities, particularly traditional rural people.”
He confirmed that Limpopo will host teams from eight provinces and that nine codes will be contested namely diketo, kgati, morabaraba, dibeke, ncuba, jukskei, kho-kho, intonga and drie stokkies.
He explained that every provincial team will consist of 157 members, including the technical officers. “The venues will be redesigned in such a way that all the games can be easily be played,” he stated.
The opening ceremony will be held on 19 September at the old Peter Mokaba Stadium and Minister of Sport and Recreation, Fikile Mbalula is expected to officiate, according to Ramaoka.
Last year the province’s jukskei, morabaraba, drie stokkies and diketo teams brought home silver medals and the ncuba team gold from the 2014 National Indigenous Games held in Gauteng.
Ramaoka is confident that the teams in all the codes will do the province proud at the games. “We have selected a strong provincial team after the provincial indigenous games in Polokwane and we believe the team will do well in every code,” he said.

Herbert Rachuene
>>herbert@mailbox.co.za