Kimberley : 09 March 2023 : The Northern Cape SSPS hosted a successful Sports Day on Wednesday, 08 March 2023 with members participating in a variety of sporting codes including soccer, tennis, badminton, tug of war, mountain biking, pool, rugby, soccer, 10km marathon and chess.
The event took place at the AR Abass Sports grounds in Kimberley and kicked off at 06:30 with a refreshing Zumba session.
The day saw members from the 5 districts, stations, units and components in the province competing against each other.
The welcoming and purpose was delivered by the Deputy Provincial Commissioner for Corporate Services, Maj Gen Henriette De Waal who reiterated that the event was to promote a healthy and active lifestyle among police officials, and to encourage camaraderie and team spirit among colleagues.
In addition to the sports activities, a well-equipped clinic was also set up at the event, offering free health checks to members, including blood pressure tests and basic health assessments.
The Provincial Commissioner, Lt Gen Koliswa Otola joined and personally interacted with members and cheered them on during matches as part of motivation to give their best.
The winners received gold medals in the following categories :
*10km Marathon for males Sgt C Dioka and Cst L Motshedi while first place for females was Sgt C Louw and Sgt O Machogo.
*Rugby males Namakwa District won against Pixley Ka Seme while the females White team hailed victory over the Blue team.
*Pool mens winner was Thabe Moatlhodi and females winner was Martha De Wee.
*Mountain bike male winner is Sgt T Hawart, female winner is HRC K Erasmus and Newbie winner is WO N Botha.
*Soccer for males overall winner was Frances Baard District.
*Tennis and Badminton players all got medals for participation.
*Chess and Tug of War participated for presentation and developmental purposes.
The social fun sack race was won by the IT girls and the egg race by Provincial Corporate Communication.
The day was spearheaded by the Provincial Sports Office and had support from several other internal and external stakeholders.
The day was concluded with acknowledgments by the newly appointed Deputy Provincial Commissioner for Crime Detection, Maj Gen Mmantsheke Lekhele who said the event was a huge success, with many officers embracing the opportunity to participate in physical activity and to improve their overall health and wellbeing. "We know that a healthy and fit SAPS is crucial to maintaining law and order in our communities, and events like this help to ensure that our officers are in peak physical condition to execute their duties," said Gen Lekhele.
Overall, the Sports Day was a great way to bring the police community together and promote healthy living, while also highlighting the importance of maintaining a fit and healthy police service.