With people from all over the world descending on South Africa to participate in and attend the 2023 Netball World Cup, Acting President Paul Mashatile officially declared the tournament open during a ceremony in Cape Town.
“I would like to welcome you to the Netball World Cup 2023, the first ever on African soil. As the history of the relationship between World Netball and our country amply demonstrates, sport has the capacity to unite people within and between countries. We are therefore grateful to have been given the opportunity to host this World Cup,” Mashatile said on Friday afternoon.
He is current the Acting President while President Cyril Ramaphosa is leading South Africa’s participation in the 2nd Russia-Africa Summit in St. Petersburg in the Russian Federation.
“In the next nine days from today until the end of this World Cup on the 6th of August, I will make sure to follow the games when the various national teams battle for first position. I wish every player and the national team success.
“In particular, I wish head coach Norma Plummer, Captain Bongiwe Msomi and the SPAR Proteas team members victory in this World Cup. You will do the country immense pride were you to make it possible for President Cyril Ramaphosa to be here on the 6th of August to carry the cup on behalf of our nation,” Mashatile said.
All eyes are on the SPAR Proteas, as South Africa takes on Wales in their first match at the 2023 Netball World Cup, which gets underway in Cape Town today.
South Africa will be competing against 16 countries for the prestigious trophy to become world champions.
The highly anticipated tournament is taking place on African soil for the first time ever, starting on 28 July, and ending on 6 August at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.
The participants in the tournament were welcomed with much fanfare on the court, as well as performances from various artists who celebrated South Africa’s diversity and wore traditional attire, displaying the country’s multiculturalism.
“I am honoured and extremely delighted to be standing here before you today. After years of preparation and anticipation, the 2023 Netball World Cup finally begins for the first time on African soil. This is a significant moment for South Africa and the entire African continent.
“I have seen the excitement and buzz in many communities around the country. This has been especially evident this week in places such as Gugulethu and KwaLanga, where government has had activation events to take the Netball World Cup to the people,” Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Zizi Kodwa, said.
He said the World Cup spirit is at fever pitch, with South Africa being represented in the FIFA Women’s World Cup, where Banyana Banyana put up another gallant fight this morning in their draw against Argentina.
“In China, Team South Africa is also proudly representing the country at the World University Games. From this buzz and excitement, I can indeed confirm that the Netball World Cup is here,” the Minister said.
Premier of the Western Cape Alan Winde welcomed spectators and participants from around the world, noting that it is a privileged for the City of Cape Town to host the tournament.
“It is such an honour and privilege to welcome everyone around the world. Thank you to those who had the vision for the World Cup to be hosted in South Africa. It is an honour to witness the first World Cup taking place in Africa,” Winde said.
The SPAR Proteas will take on Wales in their first match this evening at 6pm.
The game will be broadcast live on SABC Sport Channel, SABC 2, SABC Radio Stations and SABC plus.
Public viewing areas are available for the Netball World Cup.
The City of Cape Town’s Recreation and Parks Department will bring the Netball World Cup action to communities with four public viewing areas (PVAs).
Admission to all PVAs is free. Each viewing area will be equipped with seating, surround sound and live uninterrupted streaming of the games so there is no need to worry about load shedding.
Refreshments and snacks will be available for purchase at affordable rates and local entertainment will take place at each location.
As per the official match schedule for the Netball World Cup (NWC) 2023, each PVA will be accessible from 28 July to 6 August from 9am until the end of the last match for the day.
PVAs are equipped with ample parking and ablutions, and can accommodate a maximum capacity of 500 people at a time.
Below are the four PVA locations:
Proteaville Recreation Centre, c/o Peter Barlow and Abdurahman Streets, Bellville South.
Langa Civic Hall, c/o Church and Washington (King Langalibalele).
OR Tambo Multi-Purpose Centre, Jeff Masemola Street, Khayelitsha.
Portland Indoor Centre, Address: c/o Merrydale and Hazeldene Avenues, Portland, Mitchells Plain.
Details on tickets and travel packages and more information on the Netball World Cup 2023 are all available on the official tournament website (www.nwc2023.org.za) with a range of tickets and packages still on offer.
Plans in place to ensure safety
The National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NatJOINTS) assured participants and the public that plans are in place to ensure a safe and secure 2023 Netball World Cup.
Law enforcement officials will maintain high visibility on foot and vehicle patrols during the tournament.
“This essential security approach is to establish uncompromising security measures, limiting the impact of any incidents occurring through contingency planning and limiting the probability of incidents occurring before, during and after the World Cup,” NatJOINTS said on Friday.
NatJOINTS comprises various government departments, led by the South African Police Service (SAPS), the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) and State Security Agency (SSA).
“The security plan will ensure team security, accommodation security, route security, city security, venue security as well as crowd management. The presence of law enforcement officials for the duration of this World Cup will serve to enhance day-to-day policing in all the identified areas.
“Traffic disruptions can be expected around the World Cup venue [Cape Town International Convention Centre], given the large number of delegates in attendance. Motorists are advised that some streets surrounding the ICC will either be closed or the flow of traffic restricted for the duration of the World Cup,” NatJOINTS said.
Only accredited people and vehicles will be allowed within restricted areas. Therefore, people that are not yet accredited, including media, are urged to make the necessary arrangements to obtain their accreditation.
Source: South African Government News Agency