Proteas

Sport Minister Nathi Mthethwa presents Proteas captain Bongi Msomi with a commendation in Limpopo. Photo: Twitter

Proteas netball team receive R500k bonus from Sport Ministry

The Proteas have been rewarded for their efforts at the Netball World Cup with sports minister Nathi Mthethwa announcing a R500k bonus for the ladies.

Proteas

Sport Minister Nathi Mthethwa presents Proteas captain Bongi Msomi with a commendation in Limpopo. Photo: Twitter

Sport Minister Nathi Mthethwa has awarded the national netball team a bonus of R500,000 for their performance at the World Cup in Liverpool last month.

Mthethwa presented the team with awards at an event in Mookgopong in Limpopo on Friday.

Proteas punch above their weight

The Proteas excelled at the World Cup which they went into ranked number five in the world. Under the guidance of coach Norma Plummer and captain Bongi Msomi, the Proteas topped their initial group after scoring an upset win over the more-fancied Jamaica.

South Africa’s Netball team suffered narrow defeats to powerhouses England and Australia on their way to a fourth place finish.

The semi-final loss to Australia included a spirited fightback in which the Proteas came close to securing only their second NWC final spot. They fell short but their spirited style of play won them many fans in the Netball world.

Star goal defence Karla Pretorius was named player of the tournament after the event in Liverpool last month.

Proteas
Gretel Tippett of Australia and Karla Pretorius of South Africa in action during the Netball World Cup semi final match between Australia and South Africa at M&S Bank Arena on July 20, 2019 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Nathan Stirk/Getty Images)

South Africa to host in 2023

South Africa will host the 2023 edition of the Netball World with Cape Town selected as the city that will stage the event.

The South African delegation attended the observer programme during the week of the World Cup and will incorporate the knowledge gained in the process to ensure that we deliver a uniquely African World Cup in 2023.

Cape Town and South Africa have built a strong reputation in hosting major international events and sporting spectacles including rugby, cricket and football world cups.

Adding the Netball World Cup to that lists is special because it is the first time that the largest women’s sporting event is hosted on African soil.

The Cape Town International Convention Centre, in the heart of the iconic City of Cape Town, is renowned for hosting the major events and will add this spectacle in 2023. Surrounded by hotels, world-class shopping and leisure facilities, it is the perfect host venue for the Netball World Cup.

“There is a lot of hard work and preparations that will take place over the four years however we are confident in Cape Town’s strong track record of hosting a variety of big events and that is why we have been voted the World’s Leading Festival and Event Destination.

“We have excellent infrastructure, world-class facilities, a magnificent airport, a top notch hospitality industry, diverse cultures and a sports mad nation that will ensure that we deliver a truly African Netball World Cup,” said the City of Cape Town’s Mayco Member for Safety and Security JP Smith.

“Cape Town is an attractive destination, so we will promote our World Cup to all the netball and sporting fans and encourage them to not only watch the top class netball action but discover Cape Town and the Western Capes beauty, culture diversity and many tourist attractions. The tournament will also serve as a window into South Africa and Africa for the fans to explore before or after the Netball World Cup” continued Smith.

The African countries including South Africa, Uganda, Zimbabwe and Malawi have shown with their performances during the 2019 tournament that there’s an appetite for the sport on the continent. 

Netball South Africa President, Cecilia Molokwane said that the 2023 World Cup was not only for Cape Town, the Western Cape and South Africa but for Africa as a whole.

“We as South Africa have an obligation to help the INF develop the game throughout Africa. Africa is a sleeping netball giant and already we have four teams from African in the world’s top ten ranked nations. Netball South Africa and the Team South Africa 2023 have committed to the promotion, development and growth of the game throughout the continent.”

As a global sport, Netball is a catalyst that could provide an opportunity for the millions of young girls aspiring to play on an international level such as this.

Western Cape MEC of Cultural Affairs and Sport, Arnoux Marias said that her government were excited in partnering the City of Cape Town, national Government and Netball South Africa in the winning bid process.

“Netball is an important sporting code in the Western Cape and our commitment through winning the 2023 World Cup will be to increase our netball regions, our netball participation and give so many more young girls the chance to play the beautiful game and assist them on a path to becoming future SPAR Proteas” said Marais.

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