SPEECH BY THE EXECUTIVE MAYOR ALDERMAN DAN PLATO
The 2023 Netball World Cup will be Africa’s first ever netball world cup and I am very proud to say the first for our country and the first for Cape Town.
As much as this is a major international event, it is also an opportunity for our beautiful City, our country, and for Africa to further stake our claim as a strong and diverse sporting continent.
This event provides us with an opportunity to raise the status of netball as a national sport, while also developing the game to provide more benefits for young netball players, officials and administrators.
This event must create an inclusive legacy where youngsters from underprivileged communities are provided with the resources, coaching support and netball courts that will grow the next generation of national netball stars. Coaches from disadvantaged communities have to be empowered and skilled as a result of this world cup.
This World Cup is also an opportunity for us as Cape Town, and as South Africa, to once again demonstrate our capabilities as a premier events destination that has earned our City accolades such as the World’s Leading Festival and Event Destination during 2018 and 2020.
In this regard, we want to throw our hat in the ring as the ‘home for netball’.
We have already shown that we can be the home of netball by successfully hosting the Africa Netball Cup, the U/19 Netball Championships, the Proteas and England Roses Series and most recently, the Tri Nations Spar Challenge just three months ago.
Working with our partners, including Netball South Africa, and some of the world-class venues in our city, we demonstrated that Cape Town has the expertise required to deliver well-run continental and international netball showpieces.
The most recent seven-day SPAR Challenge Tri Nations successfully took place under strict Covid-19 protocols due to the pandemic, further displaying that, as a safe city, the safety and security of all those who live and visit our city, is a priority.
This event has the potential to further reignite the sports tourism sector, which has been heavily impacted by the global coronavirus pandemic and will assist us to bring more foot traffic into our city during the traditionally low tourism season month of July.
In conclusion – Cape Town has the venues, the event expertise, a strong track record of hosting major events, world-class infrastructure and an enthusiastic netball community to make this a special and uniquely African world cup.
The City of Cape Town looks forward to continuing our relationship with all stakeholders involved to put together a world-class netball showpiece.
THANK YOU and welcome to CAPE TOWN
Source: City Of Cape Town
