THE annual Buffalo City Metro Municipality Mayoral Cup took place on Saturday at in various locations in the city, with a wide variety of sporting codes being showcased.
The GO! attended visited volleyball matches in the Parkside Hall, but sadly it was not all fun and games. The hall only had one competing team present – and not a BCM official in sight.
Warriors Volleyball coach Burton Bussack said that they had no opponent to play against when they arrived at the hall.
“There’s a real challenge because there’s a lack of youth teams and participation from schools. There used to be a vibrant school league in the past,” Bussack said.
He also added that there was was there’s a lack of facilities designed for volleyball and they had have to rely on hiring out the municipal hall as a venue.
The table tennis tournament was also faced with challenges in Duncan Village, having had a late start because the hall was closed.
The regional teams which participated included namely King William’s Town, Mdantsane, Duncan Village-Pefferville and the East London CBD.
Buffalo City Table Tennis Association (BCTTA) executive member Luvuyo Mngqibisa said that there were no tables were provided for the tournament.
“The caretaker was not here to open the venue at 9am. We got inside and there were no tables to play on. We had to make make-shift tables using bricks as a net but we carried on with the tournament despite the challenges,” Mngqibisa said.
The Metro’s Local Organising Committee project co-ordinator Manelisi Lwana said they had asked all competing federations to submit all their requirements.
“We have supplied the transportation, catering and secured the venue. The requests then go through the sports council, which didn’t receive the requirement for the tables,” Lwana said
Despite the hiccups, the Mdantsane team took the first place, followed by East London CBD. while King William’s Town came in last.
Across town at the Cambridge hall, players converged for goal ball.
Goal ball is a sport designed for people with visual impairments, ranging from partially blind to completely blind.
The players compete in teams of three-a-side. The objective of the game is to throw a the ball past the opponents and into their net to score points. The ball has bells inside, so players must listen to which direction it is headed.
Competing teams that took part were from Mdantsane and Dimbaza, competing in the ladies and men’s divisions.
Dimbaza team manager Luyanda Stofile said they had to use chairs as goal posts but had made the best of the situation.
“We’re using chairs as goal posts right now and the municipality has promised that they would be here. ut we’ve tried to make the most of the situation,” Stofile said.
The Dimbaza teams shone brightly as they won in both the men’s and ladies divisions.
