City staff get sporty

The municipal games were a big hit, with staff turning out to play all manner of games and build relationships on the sportsfield.
THE quest to be champions sparked the adrenalin rush, when dozens of City employees took to various sporting fields to compete in the annual Joburg Employee Games on Friday, 30 September.

Players tustle for the ball in a football matchPlayers tussle for the ball in a football matchAbout 1 000 participants from various City entities, including City Parks, the Johannesburg Roads Agency, emergency management services, City Power, Johannesburg Development Agency and Johannesburg metro police department took part in the games.

Held at the Marks Parks Sports Club in Emmarentia, the games began with the grand game of golf at 7am.

At 9am, the member of the mayoral committee responsible for community development, Chris Vondo, officially opened the games, which included soccer, netball, volleyball, tennis, table tennis, softball, chess and darts.

Indigenous games such as morabaraba and morufa were also on the menu. But soccer proved to be the most popular sport for both ladies and gents.

The standards were set high, when a gruelling ladies football match got under way. So entertaining was the game, that it drew the attention of fans who cheered for their colleagues from the touchline.

Netball
Opposite the football field, an equally heated netball match made it difficult for spectators to choose which game they should watch.
Just metres away from the soccer and netball courts in a room, a battle of the mind was under way in a game of chess; in the same building it was all about aim and focus with darts.

netballThe games are all about building relationshipsAll said and done, the Joburg Employee Games were an explosion of sporting entertainment.

Attesting to the success of the event was Patronella Nkosi, an administration officer in Region F. “The games are important because they allow us time to refresh and unwind. It also enables employees to meet with one another,” she said.

Christina Ndotho, a general worker in the City, said: “Employees who were not here missed out.”

Equally satisfied with the outcome was Vondo. “The games play a crucial role of building relationships and fostering social cohesion among employees; if people can work together we believe they can also play together,” he said.

Health
“This is also to encourage employees to adopt a healthy and positive lifestyle. It will also enable them to be productive and active at work.”

He said the games were a preparation for the up-coming OR Tambo Inter-Municipal Games on 21 October at the Germiston Stadium in Ekurhuleni. “Joburg is a home of champions and the OR Tambo games will not be complete without Joburg.”

The inter-municipal games are named after the anti-apartheid activist, Oliver Reginald Tambo.

bowlingAll sporting codes are available at the Games“The games are also about growing and developing the culture of sport in Johannesburg. Right now we are looking at developing sport, especially in marginalised communities such as Orange Farm and Ivory Park.”

He is so passionate about the development of sport, that he said the City would provide recreational facilities to communities in an attempt to encourage people, especially youngsters, to participate in sport.

With football closest to his heart, Vondo was moved by the talent displayed by the Orange Farm under-17 girls football team during the Joburg Mayoral Cup, held recently.

Coming from the impoverished community, the team’s biggest challenge is a lack of resources. They train on a gravel football pitch, a greater number of them do not have soccer boots and transport money to matches is an issue.

But against all odds, the team has won tournaments across the city.

“We are aware of their situation and we are arranging for them to get supplied with a proper soccer kit and people who can give them the proper mentorship,” said Vondo.