127363 Gauteng Sports 2020.indb

GAUTENG DEPARTMENT OF SPORT, ARTS, CULTUREAND RECREATION: VOTE 12

4.4.2 Competitive Sport During the 2019/20 ¿ nancial year, the department hosted 10 sporting events which included various kick-off events that have become valuable assets within the communities and sporting codes that host the events. The department in partnership with the Soweto Marathon Trust hosted the 26th edition of the Soweto Marathon (signature, major event) on 3 November 2019 at FNB Stadium, Johannesburg. The marathon attracted approximately 40 000 runners as a result of the growing popularity of marathons in South Africa. The Soweto Marathon also serves as a platform to educate South Africans about the rich heritage of Soweto and exposes international runners to one of the most vibrant and historically signi ¿ cant human settlements of the country. The department invited all the other GPG departments to participate, with approximately 1 600 government employees taking part. The route of the marathon includes iconic Soweto landmarks such as the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital (the third largest in the world), Walter Sisulu Square (birthplace of the 1955 Freedom Charter that emphasised a non-racial society, liberty and individual rights), Regina Mundi Catholic Church (also referred to as “the people’s church” due to its role in the anti-apartheid struggle), the Morris Isaacson High School which was used as the runners’ village to accommodate athletes who required accommodation a day before the event; Vilakazi Street and the Hector Peterson Memorial. The event started with a ribbon cutting ceremony at the Expo on 31 October 2019. Participants could take part in a 10km, 21km or 42km race. MEC Mbali Hlophe started the 21 km race and had a running bus in the 10km race with all GPG runners forming part of the bus to promote healthy living. South African middle-distance runner Irvette Van Zyl won the 42km women’s race while Debeko Dakamo Dasa from Ethiopia won the men’s race. The 42 km race had 2 453 female runners and 11 059 male runners, among whom were 1 188 young people. The top 10 men and women received gold medals at the prize giving ceremony. Runners

who ¿ nished in less than 3 hours received silver medals at the ¿ nish line. Runners taking more than 3 hours received bronze medals at the ¿ nish line. The 21km race had 8 824 female runners and 8 078 male runners, among whom were 3 051 young people. The top 5 men and women received gold medals at the prize giving ceremony. Runners ¿ nishing in less than 1 hour 30 minutes received silver medals at the ¿ nish line; those who took more than 1 hour 30 minutes received bronze medals at the ¿ nish line. The 10km race had 6 052 female runners and 3 022 male runners, among whom were 1 080 young people. The top 5 men and women received gold medals at the prize giving ceremony, runners who ¿ nished in less than 45 minutes received silver medals at the ¿ nish line and those who took more than 45 minutes received bronze medals at the ¿ nish line. The ¿ nish area was divided into three sections: for 10km runners, 21km runners and 42km runners. Each ¿ nish area had people distributing medals to runners as they reached the ¿ nish line and collected their medals. Mandela Remembrance Walk and Run Gauteng Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation in partnership with Nelson Mandela Foundation hosted the 6th edition of the inaugural Mandela Remembrance Walk and Run on Sunday, 8December 2019.Approximately 18000participants which included learners from school sport, youth, elders, those living with disability and pensioners across the Province as well as the Queens and Kings from their respective organisations. The event which included a 5 km, 10 km and 21 km walk / run that started at the Union Building in Tshwane which passed through the heritage sites in Tshwane and ended at Union Building Lawns where the of ¿ cial programme commenced. The Gauteng Women in Sport Dialogue 4 th Edition (Community Event) themed “Empowering the next generation of women in sport to supremacy” was held on 14 September 2019 at the UJ Arts and Culture Centre, Kingsway Campus, Auckland Park. The dialogue highlighted the achievement by South African women in sport and created a gateway for Gauteng women in sport to take on the world

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2019/20 ANNUAL REPORT