It was good old-fashioned fun – including games like drie stokkies and kerim, as the City held a games day for about 700 Cape Flats laaities.
The fifth annual Cape Town Games, hosted by the City’s recreation and parks department, was held at the Sarepta Sports and Recreation Centre in Kuils River on Saturday.
The kids, between the ages of seven and 12, had come out tops after a total of 20 000 mense across the city competed at the start of the games.
And the top 700 competed against one another in the final of the tournament.
Games such as netball, four-a-side soccer, drie stokkies, pool, table tennis, scrabble, chess, draughts, kerim and 30 Seconds were played.
The City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, JP Smith, says the games are aimed at providing skills for children.
“The idea behind the Cape Town Games is to provide a platform for people with a range of interests to develop their abilities and compete at a city-wide level, whether it is in board games, traditional games, pool or table tennis,” he says.
“Not everyone wants to put on a uniform and kick a ball across a goal line.
“One of the priorities of the City’s organisational development and transformation plan is to build integrated communities. Events like this do just that by catering for all young people and ensuring that our various programmes appeal to them.
“Events such as these empower our youth and promote higher self-esteem.
“The physical benefits for our participants include maintaining a healthy body, preventing chronic diseases, and learning the skills necessary to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
“Sport also has the profound ability to connect people. It cuts across social, religious and economic barriers and is one of the most significant peace-keeping tools in any community.”