International netball tournement in Seshego

Seshego is set to be abuzz with athletes, coaches and supporters when the 2018 Netball Diamond Challenge, an international tournament, is hosted at the Ngoako Ramatlhodi Sports Complex from Tuesday to next Saturday.
South Africa’s SPAR Proteas will be in action against Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana, Namibia and a South African President’s XII team in a round robin competition.
This is the first time that an event of such magnitude is hosted in the province.
Netball South Africa President, Cecilia Molokwane believes the province will be a worthy host of the tournament. “It has been my long-time dream to bring an international netball tournament to Limpopo and I am glad that that dream has come true.”
She stressed that the move was aimed at bringing netball back to the people of the province. “It will be the first time the province host an event of this magnitude in a township. We used to go to cities like Durban, Cape Town, Bloemfontein and Gauteng to attend such events. We are happy that people in Seshego and surrounds will be exposed to an international tournament,” Molokwane said.
Spokesperson for the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, Kola Maila said the province was elated to host the challenge. “We are once more delighted that the province is showing its capacity to host international events. The tournament will present the province with an opportunity to grow netball specifically at grass roots level. Again, netball will have a profound impact in the profiling of the province for economic benefits,” Maila said.
He also stressed that the usage of various facilities in the province during the tournament will bring the necessary economic spinoffs and also promotes social cohesion and nation building. “There will also be an increase in intergovernmental relations with four neighbouring countries.”
Full Fixture list:
Tuesday, 27 November
14:00 Opening Ceremony
15:00 South Africa v Namibia
17:00 Botswana v Zimbabwe
19:00 Zambia v SA President’s XII
Wednesday, 28 November
15:00 Zambia v Zimbabwe
17:00 SA President’s XII v Namibia
19:00 South Africa v Botswana
Thursday, 29 November
15:00 South Africa v SA President’s XII
17:00 Botswana v Zambia
19:00 Namibia v Zimbabwe
Friday, 30 November
15:00 Botswana v Namibia
17:00 South Africa v Zambia
19:00 Zimbabwe v SA President’s XII
Saturday, 1 December
15:00 Botswana v SA President’s XII
17:00 Zimbabwe v South Africa
19:00 Zambia v Namibia
21:00 Prize Giving Ceremony

Story and photo: Herbert Rachuene
>>herbert.observer@gmail.com