VANDERBJLPARK.- This was revealed to Sedibeng Ster Sport by the Director for Gauteng Sports and Recreation Fanie Mokoena. Mokoena told Sedibeng Ster Sport that this initiative started in 2018 after one of the foreign nationals was brutally burned in Alexandra. The aim of these games is to bring and maintain peace between South Africans and foreign nationals through sports.
The sporting activities that formed part of this social cohesion games were rugby, cricket, football and netball with the local teams playing against foreign nationals who are based in South Africa. Mokoena said the games were a great success with the former soccer greats also forming part of the games. They played Seven-Aside and David Makhura selected a team that was crowned the champions much to the excitement of the Premier.
Mokoena said this initiative also addressed the gender violence and abuse against women, children and elderly people. Some of the high profile politicians who attended the games was Gauteng MEC of Education Panyaza Les,upi and MEC of Sports, Mbali Hlophe to mention but few. It was a great day of sport with young and old enjoying each and every moment of action. Some of the games took place at Isak Steyl Stadium in Vanderbijlpark. Sedibeng Elderly Sports Club’s gogos also took part in this Social Cohesion Games and they were crowned the champions after they beat their Soweto’s counterparts in the final.
“This Premier Social Cohesion Games have been a great success since its inception with the main aim being to promoted unity between the South Africans and foreign nationals. Premier Makhura initiated these games after that incident that saw a foreign national being burned in Alexandra township and as a result of this, Social Cohesions Games were introduced. The number of participant was overwhelming with an estimated 2000 participants taking part in this initiative, we achieved our objective on the day,” said Mokoena.
