August 12, 2003
By Lucky Sindane
CITY workers will show what they are made of when they challenge one another on the sports fields during the inaugural Joburg Employee Games on Friday.
The theme of the games, "living, working and playing in Johannesburg", is aimed at promoting a spirit of oneness, a media statement said. "Employees of the City of Johannesburg, who have been working together for a long time, will play and celebrate together."
The Johannesburg Stadium in New Doornfontein will play host, on 15 August, to a festival of sport ranging from basketball to seven-a-side rugby and from chess to soccer.
Organisers expect thousands of spectators to attend the events, which will also include indigenous games, arts and cultural activities.
The gates of the Johannesburg Stadium open at 7am and the "not to be missed" grand parade starts at 7.30am.
Four categories of competition are planned for the daylong festivities: sporting activities, for those with a competitive streak; indigenous games, for those simply wanting to have fun; a creativity category for employees interested in the arts; and the spectacular category, for people with disabilities.
"The City boasts a wealth of individuals who have regularly represented Johannesburg in various games at provincial and national level," the statement said.
The competitive sports section includes aerobics, basketball, chess, six-a-side cricket, darts, morabaraba, netball, pool, two road-races, one of 10 km and the other a 5 km run, seven-a-side rugby, soccer, table tennis and volleyball.
Indigenous sports will feature games like tug-of-war, dibeke, sack races, three-legged races and various blindfold games, while poetry, music, dance and a visual arts exhibition will also form part of the day's celebration.
There will also be a wheelchair race, basketball and goal ball for people with disabilities.
Events such as swimming, golf, cricket, cycling and tennis will take place at other venues around the city.
Golf will tee off at 11am at the Observatory Country Club, the swimming will start at 9am at the Ellis Park Swimming Pool, and the tennis will begin at 9am at the Standard Bank Arena, across the road from Ellis Park. The cycling, from 9am to 2.30pm, will take place at the Hector Norris Cycle Track while the six-a-side cricket will start at 9am at the Maurice Freeman Recreation Centre, opposite the Standard Bank Arena.
"Games of sport continue to be a unifying force globally," the statement said. The games are aimed at fostering a spirit of oneness, promoting wellness for better productivity and building morale.
A special awards ceremony will also be held on Thursday 21 August, at the Metropolitan Centre in Braamfontein, for employees who "have selflessly demonstrated proven loyalty in making the city work in their daily dealings with the public".
Individuals who excelled in different sporting codes and employees who performed exceptionally in the workplace will receive recognition.
Employees can nominate their colleagues in any category and nomination forms can be obtained from the local human resource offices.
For more information on the sports events contact Faried Loonat on (011) 718 9670 or on 082 559 3765, or contact the creativity coordinator Zoleka Ntabeni on (011) 834 4458.
