MEC Collen Maine Advocates for North West as a Premier Hosting Destination for National and International Games

The MEC for Arts, Culture, Sports, and Recreation, Mokone Collen Maine, alongside Departmental Head Itumeleng Mogorosi and Acting Chief Director for Sports & Recreation George Marindi, engaged in a productive meeting with top officials from the South African Football Association (SAFA) on Wednesday. The SAFA delegation was led by President Dr. Danny Jordaan, with COO Adv. Tebogo Motlanthe, CEO Lydia Monyepao, and SAFA North West Chairperson Mr. David Molwantwa also in attendance.

The meeting, held in Nasrec, Johannesburg, centered on the North West Province’s potential to host both national and international sports events. MEC Maine emphasized that the province, which has not hosted significant sports events in recent years, possesses the infrastructure and enthusiasm necessary to become a key venue for major sporting activities. He expressed concern that the underutilization of stadiums in the North West is hindering the development of sports and tourism in the region.

“We plead with you, Mr. President, that it is crucial for SAFA to consider hosting games in our province. This will give the people of North West a sense of civic pride and facilitate improvements in infrastructure, investment, and tourism development,” said MEC Maine.

A significant portion of the discussion also focused on the importance of school sports programs. Both MEC Maine and Dr. Jordaan stressed the need for robust under-15 and under-19 academies, which are crucial for talent identification and development through inter-school sports competitions.

The MEC also announced that the North West Province will soon host a Premier Cup, which is the culmination of Mayoral Cup tournaments leading to the final provincial cup games. “Mr. President, the North West Province has talent, and we plead with the Confederation to come to our province to scout talent,” MEC Maine urged.

In response, Dr. Jordaan committed to considering the Royal Bafokeng and Olympia stadiums, among others, for upcoming national and international matches. This move, he noted, would help address the concerns raised by the MEC and support the growth of sports in the North West.

MEC Maine concluded the meeting by expressing his gratitude to the SAFA team. “Mr. President and the team, we appreciate the opportunity to meet with us, and we look forward to further discussions around hosting agreements. Our goal is to leave a lasting legacy for the people of the North West Province,” he said.

The meeting marks a significant step forward in the efforts to revitalize sports and tourism in the North West, promising a bright future for the province’s sports landscape.