The City’s Recreation and Parks Department hosted the seventh annual Cape Town Games at the Sarepta Sport Complex in Kuils River on Saturday 27 April 2019. The event has become a highlight on the City’s sporting and recreational calendar, and saw more than 570 participants from primary- and high schools contending for top honours in a range of recreational activities such as netball, 5-a-side soccer, ‘drie stokkies’, chess and other board games. Read more below:

The Cape Town Games showcased 14 popular sporting codes such as soccer and netball and it also included an obstacle course. In addition, board games such as Uno formed part of the offering.

A dancing competition was another highlight.

This event provides a platform for young people to develop active and healthy lifestyles by taking part in a wide range of recreational activities, like draughts or morabaraba for instance.

To qualify for participation in the Cape Town Games, participants are required to enter various qualifying rounds in order to reach the finals, including games at their local community recreation facility, subarea level games and area-level games. This year the Cape Town Games hosted 143 participants per area aged between 12 and 16 years old.

‘With the aim of teaching and developing skills, and of inspiring and connecting young people to their peers and their community, community spirit and cooperation is at the heart of the Cape Town Games. A big focus is on participation rather than on winning. This initiative is all about participation, motivation, acquiring new skills and just having fun. It’s a healthy alternative to an active lifestyle. I would like to thank all the participants who made this fun day a reality.

‘The City’s Recreation and Parks Department puts a high premium on the more than 50 recreational hubs in the various areas in the metro as it creates spaces to develop social skills in an active, healthy and competitive way. Recreational programmes are an investment in community life and allow young people to play sport and to learn new skills in a safe and interactive environment.

‘Of the more than 50 recreational hubs across the metro the three most frequently visited include the Nomzamo Sports and Recreation Centre, the Mandela Peace Park in Delft and the Dunoon Hall. The latter hosted more than 28 700 residents over the past four months.

‘The events leading up to the final of the Cape Town Games give those attending our programmes at the various recreation centres and hubs in the city an event to aim for and to train towards,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services and Health, Councillor Zahid Badroodien.

Source: City Of Cape Town