The City of Johannesburg’s Sport and Recreation Directorate, in collaboration with the Gauteng Department of Education, successfully hosted the Joburg Mayoral Cup for pupils under the age of 15.

The Joburg Mayoral Cup was held at Marks Park Sports Complex, with schools from various districts such as Johannesburg South, North, West, East, and Central all going head to head to show what they are made of.

The annual Joburg Mayoral Cup contributes significantly to the development of talent, the development of character, and the introduction of positive characteristics into

communities. It also instills discipline and fosters perseverance.

Cllr Ronald Harris, the Member of the Mayoral Committee for Community Development in the City of Johannesburg, is a fan of the beautiful games. Speaking from the touchline, he said: “The Joburg Mayoral Cup is not only an opportunity for youngsters to expose their talents, rather the games are here to entertain, provide opportunities for self-expression, camaraderie and friendship, whilst teaching values and discipline, and has the capacity to touch the lives of all pupils participating, regardless of gender, language, social status, geographic location, or cultural differences.”

When asked about the impact of sports, an enthusiastic East Bank High School soccer player said: “Sports has taught me how to overcome difficulties because when a play doesn’t work during a game, my team and I are able to take what we learned and make adjustments at practice.”

“Each day brings a new learning experience, and after losing my father in primary school, nothing made me feel better than stepping onto the field as I gained a greater appreciation for the game.”

The two-day Joburg Mayoral Cup, which was held over two days last week, featured action from various sporting codes, including rugby, netball, cricket, volleyball, and soccer for both girls and boys.

On the final day, 24 April 2022, victory was sealed and delivered for the following rugby teams: Queens A Team (boys team) and Greenside (girls team). Indoni JSS. (girls team) also won first place in netball. In cricket, both Queens High (boys team) and Jeppe Girls High won first place. Troyville (boys team) and SBSN (girls team) won in volleyball, while George Khoza (boys team) and Eastbank (girls team) won the football champions title.