Eastern Cape gears up for Netball World Cup trophy tour

Netball fans from East London, Gqeberha, Mthatha, Komani, Maletswai, Burgersdorp, KwaBhaca, Mdantsane, Qonce, Dikeni, Dimbaza, Tsitsikamma and GraaffReinet are preparing for the Eastern Cape leg of the Netball World Cup Trophy Tour from June 29 to July 3.

The Eastern Cape will be the eighth province to parade the trophy ahead of the showpiece after stops in KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, Free State, North West and Northern Cape.

The provincial parade is due to start in Maletswai (formerly Aliwal North), where the trophy will be welcomed by Walter Sisulu municipality mayor Vania Davids.

Netball SA president Cecilia Molokwane is expected to attend the welcoming ceremony, which will be followed by netball games between local teams.

The trophy will then make a 58km journey to Burgersdorp on the same morning before heading to Komani in the afternoon, where Enoch Mgijima mayor Madoda Papiyana will head proceedings.

The next day, the convoy will make its way to KwaBhaca (Mount Frere), before travelling 103km to Mthatha, passing numerous towns and villages on the way.

On the third day, the World Cup organising team will meet Buffalo City mayor Princess Faku at the Hamilton Club.

The trophy will then stop over at Sisa Dukashe Stadium in Mdantsane, the department of sports, recreation arts and culture office in Dimbaza and the Fort Hare Indoor Sports Centre in Dikeni.

Two Telkom Netball League ambassadors are expected to attend the Fort Hare event.

On Sunday July 2, sports fans in GraaffReinet will get to experience the excitement of the parade.

Gqeberha will host the trophy at the Raymond Mhlaba Sports Centre in Motherwell, the Mawabo Dyubhele Stadium in KwaDwesi and The Young Park Sports Complex on Monday July 3.

The closing ceremony and handing over of the trophy to the Western Cape by Eastern Cape sports MEC Nonceba Kontsiwe will be conducted in Tsitsikamma.

“The trophy will be showcased throughout our communities, including townships, schools and rural areas, in the hope of encouraging our youth to be involved in sporting activities and citizens realising that the Netball World Cup is indeed here,” Kontsiwe said.

“We want to promote total participation in sport, and I think this trophy tour will assist a great deal in that regard.”

Netball World Cup 2023 board chair Patience Shikwambana said: “It is far bigger than a single city, it’s something for South Africa and Africa to celebrate and enjoy, and participate in.

“It’s a huge step forward for women’s sport in South Africa and we encourage the public to go out and be part of this proud countrywide tour.”

The Western Cape is the host province and 16 nations will be vying for the trophy when the Netball World Cup gets under way in Cape Town on July 28.

Ranked number five in the world, the Proteas will be eager to impress on home soil after the disappointment of ending fourth in Liverpool in 2019.

Captained by Bongi Msomi, the Proteas are grouped in Pool C with Jamaica, Wales and Sri Lanka.

Experienced Cala goalkeeper and defender Phumza Maweni, 38, the only Eastern Cape representative in Norma Plummer’s World Cup squad, will be vital in helping to lead inexperienced players.