Since the inception of the South African Schools Athletics (SASA) in 2012, the Department of Basic Education and the Department of Sport Arts and Culture have since joined hands to head the National School Sports Championships.
This year’s National School Sports Championship are held at University of Limpopo’s Oscar Mpetha Stadium in Mankweng from 25-26 March 2024. Learners participate in different sports activities including long jump, triple jump, high jump, pole vault, shot put to name a few.
Approximately 130 primary schools from North West represented the province at the sports championship competition. The province has previously used sports to assist curb the rate of substance abuse and crime. North West Education MEC, Viola Motsumi, advised learners to perform to the best of their ability and not focus too much on winning, but rather on the experience.
“On behalf of the North West Department of Education l would like to say good luck to all the learners who are representing us in the national championship. My message to you is to follow the instructions of your coaches. I am confident that our team for this year is very strong. Some learners were able to break the provincial records”, said MEC Motsumi.
Meanwhile Limpopo Education MEC, Mavhungu Lerule Ramakhanya described the National School Sports Championship as a historical event of huge magnitude. She said that hosting the event is a great deal to the province.
“School Sports remain the bedrock of sport development within our school calendar therefore we are encouraged to be hosting these national competitions as a Province and extend our heartfelt wishes to the organizers and our learners in general from the beginning and towards the completion of the competitions,” Lerule-Ramakhanya said.