The Netball World Cup Trophy Tour is in Gauteng with the Vaal as the first destination
By Neo Poho
It was a moment of jubilation and history as the community of Sedibeng in the Vaal Triangle, South of Johannesburg welcomed the 2023 Netball World Cup Trophy Tour with warm hands accompanied by grateful hearts on Tuesday afternoon at the Saul Tsotetsi Sports Centre.
With only 57 days left before the 2023 Netball World Cup commences in Cape Town, Gauteng welcomed the prestigious trophy for the first time since its inception in 1963 during the trophy tour that was led by the Netball South Africa President, Cecelia Molokwane.
As hundreds of people gathered at the Saul Tsotetsi Sports Centre on Tuesday afternoon including the mayor of Emfuleni local municipality, Sipho Radebe, Molokwane was filled with great joy citing that indeed history has been made in Gauteng.
"It is an honour to be in the Vaal at such a special time like this, I absolutely love and appreciate how the community of the Vaal in Sedibeng have welcomed us and most especially the Netball World Cup.
Such moments are deemed to go in the history books because I don't think such an occasion will happen again anytime soon in our country," Molokwane said.
With the Netball World Cup being a quadrennial international netball world championship organised by World Netball, since its inception, the competition has been dominated primarily by Australia and New Zealand while Trinidad and Tobago is the only other team to have also won it.
However, Molokwane is adamant that this year the Spar Proteas who are the host nation for the first time in the history of the Netball World Cup will finally win it and get to experience the feeling of what it takes to be a Netball World Cup champion.
"I certainly believe that the Spar Proteas will win it this year because we have a great squad that will definitely give their opponents a run for their money and I also just want to encourage everyone to rally behind the Spar Proteas during this competition.
If there is one thing that will take the Spar Proteas to the medal podium on the 6th of August 2023, is you ! the supporters and residents of South Africa, we need the support of everyone, whether you will be at the viewing areas, Cape Town or watching from home, I urge everyone to support the Spar Proteas in numbers," Molokwane added.
Meanwhile, the Emfuleni local municipality mayor also expressed his excitement and gratitude to Netball South Africa.
"We are really privileged to be the first ones to welcome this trophy in Gauteng, it is an honour and we will cherish this moment for years to come, as Sedibeng and Emfuleni local municipality we want to congratulate the Spar Proteas in hosting this year's World Cup and we also wish them all the very best in the competition," Radebe said.
The official mascot for the 2023 Netball World Cup "Letsatsi" was also in attendance at Saul Tsotetsi taking pictures with the pupils that were in attendance during the trophy tour.
The World Cup will start on the 28th of July until the 6th of August 2023 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.