SOUTHERN CAPE NEWS - Oudtshoorn will host the national kickboxing championships from 26 to 28 April.
The event, which is organised by the South African Kickboxing Association (Saka) in partnership with the Oudtshoorn Municipality and the Western Cape Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport (DCAS), is set to attract 1 500 to 2 000 kickboxing athletes and their supporting families from all over the country to Oudtshoorn.
"This is not only a momentous event for the greater Oudtshoorn but also continued affirmation of the town as the sports mecca of the Southern Cape," said Oudtshoorn Mayor Colan Sylvester.
"The good news for our economy is that this event offers concrete marketing and revenue generation opportunities for the town, specifically in the tourism, hospitality and financial businesses for the weekend."
Oudtshoorn Municipality has contributed R20 000 towards the tournament, plus additional contribution for venue sponsoring, mobile ablution facilities, emergency support and municipal communication and media support.
The main stakeholder, DCAS, is supplying trophies for the event.
In front from left are Wilton Kawa (Oudtshoorn Municipality), Anne van der Merwe (Saka), Chantel Norris (Saka), Ranger Grebe (Saka), Irene Malgas (Oudtshoorn Municipality), Brian Lukas (Oudtshoorn Municipality) and Louis Booysen (Oudtshoorn Municipality). Back: JJ Bezuidenhoudt (Saka), Dave van der Walt (DCAS), Sean Norris (Intrust Management and Risk Mitigators), Ian Laubscher (Oudtshoorn Municipality), Ntobeko Mangqwengqwe (Oudtshoorn Municipality) and Mornay Thysse (Oudtshoorn Municipality).
The national tournament will be preceded by a mayoral gala event on Friday 26 April where the championship will be officially launched and the contributors to the tournament acknowledged. The MEC for the DCAS, Minister Anroux Marais, the national president of Saka and the mayor are among the top dignitaries expected to attend.
A local member of the Western Cape Kickboxing Association, Ranger Grebe, who is also a member of the local organising committee, expressed his delight to be hosting the tournament. "Our mission is to objectively promote and practise kickboxing in all its modes and styles and we are happy and blessed to bring national kickboxers to our town."
The local organising committee, which comprises the provincial committee members of Saka, officials from the DCAS, Oudtshoorn Municipality and emergency agencies, met on Tuesday this week to finalise arrangements.
The tournament will take place at the De Jager Sport Complex and entry is free. Security will be intensified to ensure the safety of all attendees. Weigh-in is on Friday 26 April, between 12:00 and 15:00.
The tournament is hosted over two days, Saturday and Sunday, 27 and 28 April. The juniors compete on Saturday while the seniors are fighting full contact in the boxing ring. On Sunday the seniors will be competing for the tatami while the juniors battle it out in the boxing ring.
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