It's time for the mother of all parties
WE HAVE reached our cruising altitude; the sky is the limit.
FROM OUR FILES: Minister Fikile Mbalula with Tv presenters Zizo Beda and Thato Moeng during the South African Sports Awards night with the stars from the Palace, Sun City PHOTO: FRENNIE SHIVAMBU/ GALLO IMAGESThe week to reward prestige in South Africa has arrived. The time for cheerleaders to make it known where their loyalty lies is evident.
Welcome to the world of champions. This is a week to celebrate with our legends, to encourage our youths to do more in sport and be like their heroes.
This is the moment when good family values should be on display, a moment when family members encourage each other to participate in sport and walk the Legends Carpet, with all those flashing lights and interviews on who dressed you, the future, etc.
The moment when you show your sway and swag.This is that moment when we all sit with our families to celebrate excellence in sport in our living rooms.
All youths to the playgrounds. Scouts are waiting for them.
Those scouted are showcasing their style.
This is about celebrating, this is about mixing arts and culture to celebrate the impact of sport on the national economic front - sport's contribution to the GDP - through these sports awards.
The sport economy is at play for the people of North West. This is the Razzmatazz at the Superbowl. The world is meeting in Sun City.
Our job is to make our youth rich for making our country proud. These awards are worth millions. Even though we don't have enough to thank our athletes, the little we have is our contribution to them.
We are thankful to our athletes for walking above the rest in their quest to makeSouth Africa a sporting village.
Let's showcase the swag that will belittle the rap stars who believe they have more swag than anyone else. We are singing and rapping this weekend, we are strutting our staff on the Legends Carpet. We are honouring legends.
We are celebrating the achievements of Steve Tshwete Lifetime Award winners Dr Irvin Khoza, Dr Molefi Olifant, Danny Jordaan and Ernie Els. This is beautiful. We are singing and rapping this week.
As P Diddy rapped: "Anywhere I appear, they all stop and stare. Admire your body language speakin' loud and clear, like she be waitin', anticipatin' for oh so long. Fantasising wild thoughts of me comin' on like she diggin' my style,my swag, my suede, my swerve, my way with words, the boy's absurd for sure. You can't fall til my aura called her. I make miracles like I walk on water. What you want mama, order it's on my tab I'm so bad with the cash I dropped a whole bag. Where you at girl?"
This is that moment when the song is blaring from our speakers as we call out the Minister's Excellence Award recipients Noni Tenge, Caster Semenya, Louis Oosthuizen, Steven Pienaar and Sello Rabothata.
We are about the movement, a big movement, to celebrate the success of our youths. Even the late father of the nation, Oliver Reginald Tambo, is smiling at us, saying "here I have taught my children well".
OR Tambo stated that we need to take care of our youth. They are a national resource. Like former president Nelson Mandela said, "the most precious resource for this country is its people", and we are celebrating that.
We are singing and rapping aloud, off-tune or otherwise, and the message is clear - Sunday's Night of the Stars will present the cream of the Red Carpet to the Legends Carpet, with the likes of Bokang Montjane, Sonia Sedibe, Nonhle Thema, Bonang Matheba, Sophie Ndaba, Zakes Bantwini, DJ Zinhle, Professor and international stars like Brandy, Lolo Jones, Maria Mutola, Regina King and Vivica A Fox blessing the moment.
This is a party that has never been seen before, and will be a party above the rest.
This is a party to celebrate the life of Rivonia Trialist Ntate Andrew Mlangeni, with the inaugural Andrew Mlangeni Invitational and the Andrew Mlangeni Legends Jacket, which will be bestowed on Lucas Radebe, John Smit, Aaron Mokoena, Brian Mitchell, Hazel Gumede, Makhaya Ntini, Jacques Kallis, Penny Heyns, Josia Tugwane, Steve "Kalamazoo" Mokone and Jacob Matlala.
We are rewarding role models, yes, and the real deals! Ladies and gentlemen, continue to vote for the Sports Star of the Year between Cecil Afrika, Hashim Amla, Cameron van den Berg, Noko Matlou and Charl Schwartzel.
This is not a moment where we become Frank Bruno, where he claimed that because he beat James "Buster" Douglas, it meant he defeated Mike Tyson.
We are not celebrating the "I am the man who beat the man who beat the man". I am The Man!" No! Here we celebrate the originals.
We celebrate those who tackled the problem not through someone else but by ourselves.
Ayabizw' amagama! Good luck to those who'll leave Sun City with trophies and cheques!
- The writer is minister of sport
Most Popular
-
No Viewed Articles yet
Comments
comrademaEdies
go on comrade Mbucks go on.Report Abuse
VicMarlow
The challenge with responding to a column by a national Minister is that anything to the contrary is deemed disrespectful. Maybe the timing of the awards is awkward, given the thrashing Mzansi is going through in many sporting codes, especially rugbyReport Abuse
TKay
am sure it will be the mother of all parties - phela South Africa is good on spending money on parties instead of were is due, like wage increasesReport Abuse
usher
Another thoughtless article. Mbalula stop abusing our icons. Why mention their names in stupid articles. Question is, what is your Ministry doing to ensure that there is repeat performance from our sporting achievers......can't believe still celebrating 1996 achievement. Wake up Mr Minister, the world has since moved on!Report Abuse
Makonese
You can say that again @TKay. That is all this government does, party.Report Abuse
MsKinkyakaKamaSutra
Good for you...Fikile who will be paying the expenses for Brandy, Vivica A Fox, Serena Williams?????????
If this is to honour our own, why is the entertainment not Proudly South African????????
It sure going to be a razzmatazz......... glitz & glamour whilst their kids attending schools under trees and dont even a decent soccer kit
Report Abuse
Harangu
I cant believe this is coming from the minister....look like Mbalula is another sushi eater....grand grand what is there to be celebrated in SA sports?......we deserve better Mr Minister....fix our sports first, get the youth into sports..thereafter you can make a party. Also, we dont want our money to be wasted on these international artistsReport Abuse
mamame
What does partying BIG have to do with sports? This is sick!Sport is all about discipline and staying humble - today you win - tomorrow you lose...
Fikile is obviously a ZAR-club type of person. Minister? No really! Minister of BLING, maybe!
Report Abuse
hjdfhdghhdhgh
==== http://mcaf.ee/6e4ac =====Believe you will love it.
Report Abuse
molegotla
bra bari o malema ase ka tlo bua ka nationalisation moo. moo go newa jwala eseng ntho tse tsa gae tsa bana ba se nang njaeloReport Abuse
Read all 11 comments