Displays of talent by offenders during the area commissioner’s cup

The community of eMalahleni witnessed a very interesting, wonderful and successful soccer and netball event in their city. The striking annual Area Commissioners cup tournament took place recently.
The tournament was held at the Lynnville Stadium.

Game between Witbank Management Area Correctional Centre’s and Middelburg Centre of excellence played at Lynnville Stadium during the Commissioner’s Soccer Cup tournament. Witbank won in the final match.

Witbank Management Area Correctional Centre’s team playing a Carolina Centre team played at Lynnville Stadium during the Commissioner’s Soccer Cup tournament. Witbank won the semi final match.

According to Moses Nkabinde, communications officer of the department, the Area Commissioners cup is made out of the four Witbank Management Area Correctional Centre’s which are Witbank, Belfast, Carolina and Middelburg Centre of excellence. The female offenders of Middelburg Centre of Excellence also had its own game where they were competing with Value Meat netball club, Tailor Dove’s netball club and Dazzling Daisy’s club. This year the tournament took place in a windy and rainy weather but that did not stop the games from proceeding and becoming a success as was expected by the department.

A Middelburg Correctional Centre player surging forward with the ball during their game against Belfast. Middelburg won the match and played Witbank in the finals.

For the fifth time since the Area Commissioners cup was started, the Witbank Correctional Centre has been the champions of the tournament where the team was awarded a first prize, a trophy and gold medals. Runners up were Middelburg and Belfast, they received silver and bronze medals respectively. The finalists were presented with a new soccer kit from VitroVian who was the main sponsor of the tournament. Other prizes won were trophies for the man of the match, player of the tournament, umpire and best player of the tournament in both netball and soccer.

Witbank Management Area Correctional Centre’s soccer team with the winner’s trophy after being presented by Area Commissioner of Witbank Management Area Reverend Mandla Sibanyoni.

Middelburg Correctional Centre soccer players after being presented with their silver medals.

This time around in the final soccer teams the Witbank Correctional Centre won 4-1 against Middelburg Centre of Excellence and in the final netball teams the Dazzling Daisy’s won 17-14 against Value meat netball club. Entertainment was presented by the offender’s male choir from Witbank Correctional Centre, pantsula and traditional dancers.

The event was graced by the Acting Deputy Regional Commissioner Ms Ruth Letsoalo and the Area Commissioners of Limpopo, Thohoyandou and Bethal Management Areas and the management of the main sponsor of the tournament VitroVian, Liberty and Nedbank.

The Area Commissioner of Witbank Management Area Reverend Mandla Sibanyoni expressed his appreciation and support to the community who came in numbers to bear testimony of rehabilitation programs and alluded to the fact that corrections is a societal responsibility. He tendered a message of support and thanks to all sponsors and donations of whatever items. Reverend further encouraged the sponsors to do the same and maybe more for the 2016 Area Commissioner’s Cup tournament which will be held in Carolina.

Dazzling Daisy’s Netball Club crowned as the winners of the netball tournament also posing with their trophy and gold medals at the at Lynnville stadium, during the fifth annual area Commissioner’s soccer Cup tournament.

A netball match between Middelburg Centre of Excellence and Tailor Dove’s netball teams.

He showed a token of appreciation by giving VitroVian and Liberty art works in form of wooden houses built by an offender making him win an I Pad phone earlier this year.