Region D reigns supreme at Amos Masondo Games

22 June 2015

 

Johannesburg’s Region D – which constitutes most parts of Soweto – emerged as the overall winner of the inaugural Amos Masondo Games at Marks Parks Sports Grounds in Emmarentia at the weekend.

 

The region picked up most of the medals on offer in the featured 17 sporting codes, which included boxing, soccer, netball, cycling, walking, tennis, basketball, chess, karate, road running and indigenous games such as morabaraba.

 

The region excelled particularly in the boxing category, in which it bagged more than 10 gold medals from 15 bouts. The region also excelled in volleyball, men’s walk, chess and netball.

 

More than 2 000 sportsmen and sportswomen, mostly young people, took part in the Games named after Amos Masondo, the first Executive Mayor of Johannesburg in the democratic era.  Masondo was, however, not present to witness the inaugural Games because of other pressing commitments.

 

The preliminary stages of the Games kicked off on May 23 – on the eve of Africa Day. Playoffs took place in all the City’s seven regions and culminated in Saturday’s finals.

 

The recent xenophobic attacks in the city had also necessitated the need to use sports to promote cultural interaction, hoping to address cultural intolerance and bridge human rights gaps.  But more than anything else, the Amos Masondo Games are aimed at honouring the former Executive Mayor for his contribution to social cohesion and uplifting sports in the city.

 

Speaking during the medals presentation ceremony, Member of Mayoral Committee for Community Development Councillor Chris Vondo said the Games would be bigger and better next year, when more incentives would be introduced.

 

He said there was no doubt that Johannesburg was better today than it was yesterday thanks to selfless efforts of visionaries such as Masondo, who is now a Member of Parliament.