08 May 2018

Acting Minister of Basic Education, Thato Kwerepe has described sport as a unifying factor for it brings people of different cultures and religions together.

Officiating at the 2018 Confederation of School Sport Association of Southern Africa (COSSASA) athletics championships in Francistown on May 7, Kwerepe explained that sport cemented and consolidated friendship.

He said sport brought peace and stability to regions hence COSSASA games were aimed at promoting such.

“That is why in sport we are just one family,” he stated.

Kwerepe said basic education ministry was committed to sport development and supporting events such as COSSASA games was a testimony of how serious government was with developing sport.

Sport, he said played a major role in promoting discipline, reducing drug abuse as well as helping in the reduction of school dropouts.

He applauded teachers for the good work they were doing in grooming students to become good future stars.

Kwerepe awarded medals to athletes who performed well on the first day of the event.

In her welcome remarks, Francistown mayor, Sylvia Muzila thanked government for having chosen Francistown to host the games saying the competitions would boost the city’s economy.

“We have a lot of benefits from these games as the people of Francistown and one of such benefit is that the games will boost our economy,” she stated.

She said the main objective of the games was to groom future stars as well as maintain peace, stability, friendship, happiness and togetherness, among athletes from member states.

COSSASA president, Johnson Madhaku thanked member states for their continued support to the association.

He also thanked countries that managed to make it to this year’s edition saying those that failed was due to last minute logistic challenges and urged participants to grab the opportunity with both hands.

Five countries being Lesotho, Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Namibia made it to the games while others including South Africa could not make it.

The games held under the theme; Grooming Stars, end today. ENDS