01 Mar 2020

Assistant Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Setlhabelo Modukanele says the Southern African Inter-Municipal Sports Association (SAIMSA) has the potential to boost tourism revenue.

Speaking at the handover of the baton by the Zambian delegation which hosted the annual event last year, he said besides tourism revenue, the games helped small business enterprises as athletes would be buying food and other goodies from locals.

He said the games which involved SADC countries aimed to promote unity through interaction and sharing of ideas between the public service of local authorities in the sub-continent.

The games are scheduled for September in Gaborone and more than 7 000 participants from the region are expected to take part in.

Modukanele said the private sector, which was part of the sponsors, was bound to get mileage through advertising across borders. This, he said, would give visiting teams an opportunity to know about services offered by such companies.

The assistant minister said by being the host, Botswana was accepting the challenge and promised affiliates that the country would do all it could to ensure the success of the games.

For his part, Local Authorities and Health Intersport Association (LAHISA) president, Kagiso Keitumetse also said the games brought a component of sport tourism.

He said sport had the ability to unite and foster cordial relations, taught about failure, joy, teamwork, motivates and also inspires. In 2019 Zambia hosted the games. ENDs