Walvis Bay to host Southern African Municipal Games

WALVIS Bay will host the Southern African Inter-Municipal Games (SAIMG) 2007, which is scheduled for September 23 to 29.

Municipalities from cities and towns in Namibia, South Africa, Botswana and Swaziland will enter about 2 000 athletes in eight sports codes, such as soccer, netball, darts, golf, pool, squash, volley ball and table tennis. A floating trophy will be awarded to the municipality that collects most medals.Walvis Bay Mayor Derek Klazen, said at Tuesday’s Town Council meeting that although the competitors will be competing for medals and trophies, the main aim of the games would be to foster inter-municipal cooperation, and to create and strengthen relationships between local authorities in SADC.Another objective, besides bringing municipal employees together for team-building purposes, is that the games will also encourage fitness and a healthy lifestyle.”What this means for Walvis Bay is that thousands of people will be visiting our port city as participants and spectators of the games.This in turn will generate income for the accommodation providers and local retail businesses.The benefits are not only felt in monetary terms but also in the promotion sense, as Walvis Bay is being promoted as tourist and sport venue,” Klazen said.The games were founded in 2003 in Gabarone, Botswana, by various municipalities of South Africa and Botswana.The concept of Inter-Municipal Games originated from the South African Municipal Sports and Recreation Association (SAMSRA), which is the controlling body for municipal sports in South Africa.It is the vision of the Secretariat of the Games that all SADC countries will be represented at the 2010 Games, which will coincide with the Soccer World Cup in South Africa.A floating trophy will be awarded to the municipality that collects most medals.Walvis Bay Mayor Derek Klazen, said at Tuesday’s Town Council meeting that although the competitors will be competing for medals and trophies, the main aim of the games would be to foster inter-municipal cooperation, and to create and strengthen relationships between local authorities in SADC.Another objective, besides bringing municipal employees together for team-building purposes, is that the games will also encourage fitness and a healthy lifestyle.”What this means for Walvis Bay is that thousands of people will be visiting our port city as participants and spectators of the games.This in turn will generate income for the accommodation providers and local retail businesses.The benefits are not only felt in monetary terms but also in the promotion sense, as Walvis Bay is being promoted as tourist and sport venue,” Klazen said.The games were founded in 2003 in Gabarone, Botswana, by various municipalities of South Africa and Botswana.The concept of Inter-Municipal Games originated from the South African Municipal Sports and Recreation Association (SAMSRA), which is the controlling body for municipal sports in South Africa.It is the vision of the Secretariat of the Games that all SADC countries will be represented at the 2010 Games, which will coincide with the Soccer World Cup in South Africa.