Oudtshoornites involved in this weekend’s SA Kickboxing Championships are front from left Wilton Kawa (Oudtshoorn Municipality – Manager: Halls and Building), Anne van der Merwe (SAKA LOC), Chantel Norris (SAKA LOC), Ranger Grebe (SAKA LOC), Irene Malgas (Municipality – Disaster Management), Brian Lukas (Municipality – Sport Development) and Louis Booysen (Municipality – Manager: Special Programmes). Back from left are JJ Bezuidenhoudt (SAKA LOC), Dave van der Walt (DCAS), Sean Norris (Intrust Management and Risk Mitigators), Ian Laubscher (Municipality – Sport Development), Ntobeko Mangqwengqwe (Municipality – Communication and Media) and Mornay Thysse (Municipality – Disaster Management).
Oudtshoorn will host the kickboxing national championships from 26 to 28 April.
The national event which is organised by the South African Kick-Boxing Association (SAKA) in partnership with the Oudtshoorn Municipality and the Western Cape Department of Cultural Affairs (DCAS) is set to attract approximately 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 the executive mayor, councillor 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 business industries,” Sylvester added.
The Oudtshoorn Municipality has contributed an amount of R20 000 towards the tournament plus an additional contribution that includes venue sponsoring, mobile ablution facilities, emergency support and municipal communication and media support.
Another major stakeholder, DCAS, supports the SAKA national championships by supplying trophies for this event. The department’s vision is to “unite people through sport and culture to ensure a creative and active Western Cape”.
The national tournament will be preceded by a Mayoral Gala on Friday 26 April that will officially launch the national championships and acknowledge the contributors to the tournament.
The MEC for the DCAS, Minister Anroux Marais, Sylvester and the national president of SAKA are among the top dignitaries that are expected to attend the event.
A local member of the Western Cape Kick-Boxing 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 practice kickboxing in all its modes and styles and we are happy and blessed to bring national kickboxers to our town.”
The local organising committee that 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 Sports Complex and entry to the tournament is free of charge. Security will be intensified to ensure the safety of all attendees. Weigh-in is on Friday 26 April at 12:00 to 15:00.
The juniors compete on Saturday the tatami while the seniors are fighting in the boxing ring full contact.
On Sunday, the seniors will be competing the tatami and the juniors in the boxing ring.