DAILY UPDATE 22 JULY 2014

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1 DAILY UPDATE 22 JULY 2014 Welcome to Team South Africa s first daily newsletter where we ll cover news, views and upcoming schedules and results for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. Team SA arrived safely in Glasgow on Thursday, 17 July 2014 and received a warm welcome from the Scottish nation. The team attended the pre- departure camp in Boksburg on Monday, July for final preparation, briefing and were treated to a raving farewell dinner before departing for Glasgow. A total of 17 sports will be contested during the competition, which starts on Thursday 24 July and continues through till 3 August. A total of 15 sporting codes will feature South African participation, ranging from aquatics through to wrestling. Seventy- one countries will be represented by roughly 6,500 athletes from the length and breadth of the world. The previous Commonwealth Games were hosted by New Delhi in India and Team South Africa won 33 medals to end joint fifth on the medals table with 12 gold, 11 silver and 10 bronze medals. Team South Africa will take part in the following sporting codes: aquatics (including para- swimming), athletics (including para- athletics), badminton, boxing, cycling, gymnastics, hockey, judo, lawn bowls, netball, para- powerlifting, rugby sevens, shooting, triathlon, weightlifting and wrestling. Welcome dances by Scottish kids at the Glasgow airport

2 Programme Schedule 23 July 2014 DATE TIME EVENT VENUE 23 July 21h00-23h00 Opening ceremony Celtic Park By Mark Etheridge in Glasgow News Team South Africa threw itself into commemorating Mandela Day here on Friday as the Commonwealth Games grew ever closer. The Scottish city went all out in celebrating the birthdate of global icon Nelson Mandela. A large screen TV played a film of his first visit to the city in October 1993, when he received the Freedom of the City. The Lord Provost and Councillor Sadie Docherty then announced that the city had commissioned the creating of a bust of Madiba, by sculptor Deirdre Nicholls, that will be unveiled on 9 October, the same date he visited Glasgow to receive the Freedom of the City. LTR Brian Filling, Chair of ACTSA Scotland & Honarary Consul for SA in Scotland, Lord Provost Cllr Sadie Docherty & Bongani Tembe, Lord Provost Cllr Sadie Docherty with Team SA athletes & Chef de Mission, Patience Shikwambana Chief Executive & Artistic Director of the KZN Philharmonic Orchestra

3 It will act as a lasting legacy to the man himself and as a permanent reminder of our city s long- standing support for the people of South Africa, said the Lord Provost. Then it was on to Mandela Place, a venue renamed from its former name of St George s Place after years of campaigning by the Scottish Committee of the Anti- Apartheid Movement in Led by Chef de Mission Patience Shikwambana and Team SA s management members, some of our boxers and wrestlers then joined the public in a ribbon tying ceremony at the venue. Local businesses got into the swing of things with one seamstress and taylor business alternating its digital advertising branding in the windows above the street with a photo of Madiba. The crowd were then entertained by South African s Mzansi Youth Choir. Among the speakers was Madiba s granddaughter Tukwini, pictured with the Mzansi Youth Choir. She said: Today my grandfather would have been 96. It s a bittersweet day for us as a family. Bitter because we won t have those lovely long birthday celebrations with him but then it s so nice to see how he is being remembered by the world. Later in the day some of the team attended the Mandela Day Concert at the Kelvin Grove Art Gallery and Museum, adjoining the venue where our lawn bowlers will be bidding for glory during the games. Among the entertainers was acclaimed SA musician Hugh Masekela and again, the Mzansi Youth Choir. By Mark Etheridge in Glasgow Flag raising ceremony

4 The hype surrounding Team South Africa s 2014 Commonwealth Games has been building up since our arrival. On Saturday the team were officially welcomed at the Athletes Village flag- raising ceremony. Members of the National Youth Theatre put on an animated display of song, dance and storytelling for the team. Led by Afolabi Alli and Daisy Edgar- Jones, the show had members of the team enthralled. One of the songs was titled It s raining, particularly apt in this case as the rain- suited team was ushered inside for the ceremony. Former Scottish swimmer David Carry, who competed at three Commonwealth Games ( ) made an address in his capacity as Village Chieftain as Dundee City s Rona Alexander and Team SA chef de mission Patience Shikwambana exchanged gifts. Chieftain of Glasgow Athletes village exchange gifts with Team SA Chef de Mission at the flag raising ceremony South Africa and the city of Dundee were paired in an exchange programme that saw schools in Dundee being educated on South Africa in the build- up to the Games. South Africa presented an African themed gift of a mother and baby giraffe. The village is a great place to make friends and experience Scottish hospitality at its finest, said Carry. The village is part of the re- generation of Glasgow s East End.

5 Just a few bits of trivia about the village: It covers an area of 35 hectares (54 rugby fields) and the dining room will serve around 390,000 meals during the Games. A total of 2000 Clydesiders (volunteers) will be on duty 24 hours a day to make sure everything runs smoothly. By Gary Lemke Durban was thrust into the international spotlight following an impressive and professional presentation to the Commonwealth Games Federation General Assembly in Glasgow today. The South African Minister of Sport, Mr Fikile Mbalula, along with the SASCOC president, Mr Gideon Sam, the SASCOC chief executive officer, Mr Tubby Reddy, and head of sport for the City of Durban, Mr Vuzi Mazibuko, produced a slick presentation ahead of the other candidate for the 2022 Games, the Canadian city of Edmonton. South Africa s ability and proven track record in hosting major events amongst them the football, rugby and cricket World Cups was a strong theme of the presentation, as was the fact that sport is a powerful tool in uniting the country and that Africa is yet to stage a Commonwealth Games. Sports Recreation SA Minister, Fikile Mbalula Presenting the SA 2022 Commonwealth Bid in Glasgow

6 We ve gone through the fire to get here and the 2030 plan requires sport to make the contribution to build South Africa into the giant on the continent of Africa, said Mr Sam in his address. We re bold enough to say that South Africa can host any event. We ve shown that to the United Nations and the International Olympic Committee. We can say it is Africa s turn. In a vibrant video shown to the General Assembly, former president Mr Nelson Mandela was shown casting his first democratic vote in the 1994 elections in the city of Durban. We ve shown that we have the investment, infrastructure and capacity to deliver world- class events, said Mr Reddy. The City of Durban has invested billions of rands (some R3.4bn) in sport. It s our turn, but more than the fact it s our turn is that we ll do a quality job. But we don t want you to give it [the 2022 Commonwealth Games] to us because it s our turn. We will do a quality job, he pledged. Mr Mbalula pledged his support to Durban s bid. We guarantee the government will play its part in hosting the most successful sporting events in South Africa. The Commonwealth Games to us are important Games in terms of what we seek to achieve collectively over the years. It s our turn as the African continent. If you give [the Games] to Africa we guarantee you our 102 percent commitment in making it successful. Do it for Africa, the sports minister concluded. The vote on the 2022 Commonwealth Games bid city will be conducted in Auckland in September We look forward to updating you on the performance of our team! MEDIA: Read more on: For pictures, visit and OR Follow us on and like us on Facebook Team South Africa. Should you receive a duplicate of this bulletin, please feel free to let us know.