16 Sep 2019

Plans are underway for the national fitness day programme to be rolled out to other government establishments across the Kgatleng District.

Kgatleng District coordinator in the Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development, Mr Kagiso Mapotu said this at the national fitness and wellness event in Mochudi on September 13.

Mr Mapotu said the aim was to have various villages within Kgatleng hold simultaneous fitness and wellness activities aligned with the main event.

The national fitness and wellness activity was launched in 2015 by the ministry, and Mr Mapotu said the involvement of all organisations in the national fitness programme would enhance partnerships and promote organisations.

He noted that exercising had been recognised as instrumental in curbing non-communicable diseases, which were life-threatening. 

Non-communicable diseases, he said contributed to high medical bills, which negatively affected the Ministry of Health and Wellness budget, hence a cause for concern.

Mr Mapotu noted that the ministry had been focusing on professional sports such as athletics and football, which were not inclusive of all individuals, hence the inception of the National Fitness Day in 2015, which should be hosted second Friday of every month for public officers.

He said district youth offices currently coordinated the fitness day monthly activities in their respective regions.

The programme, he said was beneficial to all who participated, both physically and mentally.

“Today, we shall be taking part in aerobics, ball games, orange race, traditional games and athletics,” he said.

Furthermore, he appreciated all who made the activity a success by attending in satisfactory numbers and called on more public officers not to be left behind in the future.

Mr Mapotu further said the event recognised the value of exercising in the lives of people, adding that it had proven to reduce lifestyle diseases such as hypertension, diabetes and cardio-vascular diseases, which reportedly kill about 38 million people globally every year.

He said those diseases were known to cause more deaths in the world than HIV, TB and Malaria combined.

The coordinator said the activity was geared towards encouraging people to take care of their bodies, as they adopt active and healthy lifestyles.

Mr Mapotu further requested employers and organisations to encourage and support their staff in physical recreation activities. ENDS