The IFP would like to congratulate Ann Ashworth and Bongmusa Mthembu, who made a glorious double triumph for South Africa at 2018 Comrades Marathon over the weekend between Pietermaritzburg and Durban.
“In particular, we would like to applaud Bongmusa Mthembu who originates from rural community of Bulwer in KwaZulu-Natal, for being the very first South African to win Comrades consecutively since the apartheid era.
We are very proud of his great achievement which showed unimaginable strength. He is a true champion and an inspiration to the youth of this province. It is fulfilling to see our people partaking and winning in such biggest historical events. This is evidence that patience, persistence and hard work does pay off, and that commitment and discipline are extremely important in succeeding.
We also calling upon both international and national sponsors to sign up such dedicated athletes for more lasting and lucrative deals. It would be encouraging to see them not only offering running shoes and training kits but bigger meaningful and inspiring deals as they do for big international athletes,” said IFP KZN Provincial Spokesperson on Sports and Recreation, Mr Nhlanhla Msimango MPL.
“The achivements by these athletes should be an encouragement for the promotion of athletics in schools. Mass Participation Programmes (MPP) were introduced and initiated to increase the level of participation in all spheres and transforming sports and recreation.
Sports development at schools is another issue. We are not doing enough! We must aggressively tackle this area. Every child deserves the pleasure of kicking a ball, swinging a racquet or sprinting a 100m on an athletics field. More must be done to take sports to the children; they deserve nothing less. In this vein we urge that the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between this Department and the Department of Education be implemented forthwith.
Furthermore, The facilities and opportunities to engage in sporting activities are very limited in our rural areas and townships. The Department should pay more attention to this area and allocate additional funding for the construction of various sporting facilities and the employment of skilled coaches who will be able to teach these youngsters different codes of sports,” concluded Mr Msimango.
Issued by:
Honourable Nhlanhla Msimango MPL
IFP KZN Provincial Spokesperson on Sports and Recreation
078 302 4657