SADC inter-municipal games at coast

WALVIS BAY will become the first city in Namibia to host the biggest municipal sports event in Southern Africa starting this Sunday.

The games will be held until September 29. Approximately 3 000 athletes from Botswana, Swaziland, South Africa and Namibia will compete in a number of friendly matches in various sport codes including soccer, golf, netball, volleyball, table tennis, darts and pool.The concept of Inter-Municipal Games originated from the South African Municipal Sports and Recreation Association (SAMSRA), the controlling body for municipal sports in South Africa.Founded in 2003 in Gaborone, Botswana, by various municipalities of South Africa and Botswana, the SAIM Games are an attempt to foster inter-municipal co-operation in the SADC region.The municipality of Walvis Bay represented Namibia for the first time ever at the Games in East London, South Africa, in 2006.It was during this event that Walvis Bay was chosen to host the 2007 games.A statement issued yesterday said the idea behind the games is not only to bring together employees for team-building purposes, but to encourage fitness among municipal workers.”The games will be highly competitive as winners will be awarded medals and a floating trophy will be awarded to the municipality that collects most medals in the different sports codes,” it said.Meanwhile, some employees of the municipality took part in the 15-kilometre relay from Langstrand to Walvis Bay last Friday to show their readiness.A municipal spokesperson said the teams have been training vigorously over the past three months to prepare for the highly compensative games.”The teams have shown confidence that they are ready and might just pick up a couple of medals or the floating trophy that will be awarded to the municipality that collects most medals in the different sports codes,” said a spokesperson.Municipalities from different cities and towns in Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Swaziland will participate in this year’s games.Over 2 000 athletes are expected to compete.The games will take place at Kuisebmond, Narraville and the Jan Wilkens Sports Stadium.Tight security will be provided and the Namibian Police will also be on standby to ensure the safety of the athletes.”We are, however, counting on the support of the community and the Namibian nation at large to make these games a success,” the municipality says.Approximately 3 000 athletes from Botswana, Swaziland, South Africa and Namibia will compete in a number of friendly matches in various sport codes including soccer, golf, netball, volleyball, table tennis, darts and pool.The concept of Inter-Municipal Games originated from the South African Municipal Sports and Recreation Association (SAMSRA), the controlling body for municipal sports in South Africa.Founded in 2003 in Gaborone, Botswana, by various municipalities of South Africa and Botswana, the SAIM Games are an attempt to foster inter-municipal co-operation in the SADC region.The municipality of Walvis Bay represented Namibia for the first time ever at the Games in East London, South Africa, in 2006.It was during this event that Walvis Bay was chosen to host the 2007 games.A statement issued yesterday said the idea behind the games is not only to bring together employees for team-building purposes, but to encourage fitness among municipal workers.”The games will be highly competitive as winners will be awarded medals and a floating trophy will be awarded to the municipality that collects most medals in the different sports codes,” it said.Meanwhile, some employees of the municipality took part in the 15-kilometre relay from Langstrand to Walvis Bay last Friday to show their readiness.A municipal spokesperson said the teams have been training vigorously over the past three months to prepare for the highly compensative games.”The teams have shown confidence that they are ready and might just pick up a couple of medals or the floating trophy that will be awarded to the municipality that collects most medals in the different sports codes,” said a spokesperson.Municipalities from different cities and towns in Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Swaziland will participate in this year’s games.Over 2 000 athletes are expected to compete.The games will take place at Kuisebmond, Narraville and the Jan Wilkens Sports Stadium.Tight security will be provided and the Namibian Police will also be on standby to ensure the safety of the athletes.”We are, however, counting on the support of the community and the Namibian nation at large to make these games a success,” the municipality says.