The National Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC) will this coming weekend host two downscaled #IChoose2BActive national events.
The events will commence with the National Recreation Day (NRD), and end with the National Big Walk on Sunday.
The events will be hosted in partnership with the Gauteng provincial Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation, the Sport For Social Change Network, City of Tshwane and the City of Joburg.
Due to COVID-19 and in line with Government Risk Adjustment Strategy, this year’s #IChoose2BActive events (NRD and Big Walk) implementation methodology has been downscaled to adhere to Disaster Management Regulations.
The events will take place in a more controlled environment, accommodating not more than the allocated number of people, as per the regulations.
Both upcoming #Ichoose2BActive events are highly acclaimed activities, focusing on positive lifestyles and healthy living. The objective is to get South Africans habituated to living healthy.
National Recreation Day was declared by Cabinet back in 2014 and scheduled to take effect annually on the first Friday of October.
The joint jam-packed collaborated event is anticipated to be hosted in a torch relay format, with all nine provinces involved.
The torch will be virtually handed over to the next province, who in turn will keep it burning for the duration of their activities (maximum of two hours) before handing over the torch to the next province.
Gauteng will virtually hand over the torch as a soccer ball, while the next province in turn will catch it as a tennis ball, with tennis being its area of focus (as an activity) for the day.
The relay format will commence as follows:
- Gauteng – Pretoria launch site, at 06h00 to 07h20.
- Once done, the principal will then hand over the baton to the next province in line, this time being the Northern Cape.
- Northern Cape – SSCN member NGO – AGAPE Copeland 07h20 – 08h40.
- Mpumalanga – SSCN member NGO – Children of the Dawn 08h40 – 10h00.
- North West – SSCN member NGO – Special Olympics 10h00. – 11h20.
- Limpopo – SSCN Member NGO – Sporting Chance 11h20 – 12h40.
- Free State – SSCN member NGO Free State Sport For Change 12h40 – 14h00.
- Eastern Cape – SSCN member NGO United Through Sports 14h00 – 15h20.
- KwaZulu-Natal – SSCN member NGO Peace Players International 15h20 – 16h40.
- Western Cape – SSCN member NGO – School of Hard Knocks 16h40 – 18h00.
The National Recreation Day will be hosted in association with Sport for Social Change Network (SSCN), Gauteng Province and Blue Bulls.
The launch in Gauteng will take place at Loftus Versfeld Rugby Stadium, (main field) on Friday, 2 October 2020.
Activities will start at 06h00 – 08h00, and arrival is scheduled for 05h30.
Participants include Minister Nathi Mthethwa, Deputy Minister Nocawe Mafu, MEC Mbali Hlophe, Director-General Vusumuzi Mkhize, various Sport and Creative personalities, Blue Bulls players, City of Tshwane senior officials, SSCN staff and members of the media.
Friday morning activities will include aerobics, cardio, boxing combi and yoga.
There will be an opportunity for media engagements, while refreshments are served.
National Big Walk
On Sunday, 4 October, the National Department and its stakeholders, inclusive of sporting personalities and various creatives (the number of participants will not be more than what is regulated), will then embark on a 5km National Big Walk, under the #Ichoose2BActive campaign.
It will take place at Orlando Stadium (VIP gate main entrance). The 5km walk will commence at 07h00 and participants are to arrive at 06H30. The walk will proceed to Hector Peterson Memorial, ending at Vilakazi Street.
The public is reminded that both events are per invitation and members of the media will be required to confirm their attendance.
South Africans are invited to join the virtual Big Walk in their own territory in the 5km, 10km or 15km.
The starting time is 07h00. To participate, citizens need to register for free from today, 1 October on www.srsa.gov.za/ www.dsac.gov.za. – SAnews.gov.za
