On 14 December 2016, the Western Cape Minister of Cultural Affairs and Sport Anroux Marais proudly acknowledged 33 legends who made a significant contribution to the development, transformation and growth of sport in the Western Cape pre−1992.
The annual Sport Legends Awards were conceived by the Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport (DCAS) in 2005. The 2016 ceremony, hosted at the Kronenburg Estate in Paarl, honoured legends of yesteryear in various sporting codes such as softball, lawn bowls, karate and equestrian sport. The legends who had given sport their all are now over 50 years of age and regarded as icons in their communities.
The Acting Mayor of Drakenstein Municipality, Mr Rean Smuts, stressed the value of the award recipients who had touched lives and served to unite people.
Minister Marais paid homage to the legends’ efforts to use sport as a tool for positive development and to heal a once divided society, and she encouraged the audience to participate in the DCAS Oral History Storytelling Initiative. “I firmly believe sport has the potential to change lives for the better and bring people together,” said Marais. “I urge you to share your stories of how sport changed your life or the life of another.”
DCAS honours our province’s sporting legends. As we celebrate our achievements we unify the nation and leave a legacy for future generations. BETTER TOGETHER.
WC Minister Anroux Marais 2016 Sport Legends Awards Speech on 14 December 2016
All protocol observed,
Goeiemore, molweni nonke, good day
It gives me great pleasure to be present at the significant 2016 Sports Legends Awards.
The Western Cape Sport Legends Awards ceremony has become a traditional highlight of each year and today we celebrate 12 years of officially recognising our sport icons. Making this ceremony more momentous is the need to pay homage to our sporting legends’ efforts to use sport as a tool for positive development and to heal a once divided society. The awards aim to honour sports people in identified sport codes for the role they have played in ensuring the growth, development, and transformation of sport during difficult circumstances. It also serves to acknowledge the contributions made by individuals such as sport activists, sport heroes and sport icons in shaping the future of sport in the Western Cape and South Africa as a whole.
In die verwesenliking van die visie van die Departement van Kultuursake en Sport van ‘n sosiaal inklusiewe, kreatiewe en aktiewe Wes-Kaap, het ons sportaktiviste geïdentifiseer en aan hulle erkenning verleen binne hul bepaalde kodes. Die doel van die Sportlegende-toekennings is om ‘n gevoel van prestasie te laat ontwikkel in gemeenskappe en om sport-rolmodelle te identifiseer om aan te toon dat prestasie en uitnemendheid selfs in tye van swaarkry en groot nood moontlik is.
Vandag verleen ons amptelik erkenning aan en vier ons diegene wat ‘n beduidende bydrae tot sport gelewer het, diegene wat as ikone in hul gemeenskappe beskou word, diegene wat met style en grasie hul lewens toegewy het aan sport en veral diegene wat ‘n rol gespeel het in die vorming van sport voor 1992, vandaar die platinumsterre onder ons.
Voordat ek ingehuldig is as Minister van hierdie wonderlike departement, het ek na ongelooflike stories geluister, nie net oor ons legendes nie, maar die betekenis daarvan om vereer te word met die amptelike erkenning van die groot vordering wat hulle in sport in die Wes-Kaap gemaak het. Ek het van ’n Sportlegende gehoor wat sterwend was toe die departement Sportlegende status aan hom toegeken het. Hulle het na sy huis toe gegaan om die boekrol aan hom te oorhandig. Hy kon tydens die besoek glad nie uit sy bed uit kom nie. Maar toe hy sien dat die amptenare kom om die boekrol aan hom te oorhandig, het hy sy vrou gevra om hom te help sodat hy gereed kan wees om die toekenning te ontvang. Mnr. Vincent Baatjies het daarna vir nog nege maande geleef en volgens sy vrou het die toekenning werklik die gevoel by hom gelaat dat die tyd wat hy aan sport afgestaan het en die moeite wat hy gedoen het vir die ontwikkeling van sport waardeer word.
It is for this reason that I encourage all present here today to participate in the Department’s Oral History Storytelling Initiative. I firmly believe sport has the potential to change lives for the better and brings people together and I am sure you all can attest to this. Therefore, I urge you to share your stories of how sport changed your life or the life of another. The vision of this initiative is to integrate the various components within the Department of Cultural and Sport, by capturing and documenting the stories of communities, including our Sport Legends within the Western Cape. Someone once said, “shine your light, share your journey. When you are courageous, you create a spark that ignites and inspires others to be brave”. Our library service will gladly assist those who are keen to get involved.
In a time where our world needs much healing, more social inclusion and rather celebrating our diversity as opposed to it being a dividing factor, sharing your stories of how sport has changed your life for the better will make a positive change in our communities.
Vandag vereer ons diegene wat hul lewens aan sport toegewy het, maar binne ’n groter perspektief, erken ons amptelik die feit dat daar meer positiewe rolmodelle in die Wes-Kaap is. Almal wat vandag toekennings ontvang, is die bakens van hoop vir diegene wat moedeloos en hulpeloos in hul huidige situasies voel. Nie net het julle ons trots gemaak nie, maar julle het ook jul gemeenskappe opgehef, meer as wat julle ooit sal besef en daarvoor bedank ek julle.
Thirty-three awards were made. Here are those from Eden:
Ernest Johannes Blaauw
Age: 57
- His athletics career started in 1988.
- He completed the Ford Marathon Series in Cape Town (1990), Port Elizabeth (1992) and Durban (1994) respectively.
- He participated and completed 7 Comrades Marathons, the Old Mutual Cape Town Marathon, the Veet van Afrika Marathon as well as the Rhodes University Settlers marathon on 5 occasions.
- Ernest received medals for all of the above-mentioned marathons ranging from gold to bronze.
- Ernest gives back to his community by giving motivational talks and training young runners on a weekly basis.
Michael Anthony Lombard
Age: 65
- Started his sport career in Oudtshoorn and Pretoria in 1988.
- Served as Chairperson of Pretoria Police Cycling Club and the Oudtshoorn Cycling Club.
- In his capacity as coach, he produced one World Champion, three SA Champions and various Provincial Champions.
- He has served on cycling committees for 10 years and is currently the Chairperson of the Oudtshoorn Cycling Club and an Executive Committee Member of Cycling South Africa.
- He recently represented South Africa at the World Championships in Perth, Australia on 1 September 2016.
Tannah Harris
Age: 73
- Tannah is President of Southern Cape Golf Union and has served in this role for the past 10 years.
- As a qualified R & A Rules Official, he has been invited on several occasions to officiate as a rules and course set up official at the South African Open Tournament, the PGA and the Sunshine and Winter Tour tournament.
- He has served for 6 years on the South African Golf Association`s National Executive.
- Tannah is also keenly involved with the South Cape Nomads, where he was made an honorary member in 2010.
- He is known as being the leading light for the Caddies League which is growing from strength to strength.
Johannes Jacobus Havenga
Age: 91
- Johannes started his sport career in 2001 at George Bowling Club.
- He became a committee member of George Bowling Club, followed by two terms as Vice President and then President.
- He broadened the appeal of the game, especially popularising it amongst youth.
- He overcame many obstacles such as the lack of knowledge of bowls, social preference, lack of facilities, transport and finances.
- Reaching out to the underprivileged became a special focus for which he received acclaim at club, district and national level.
Aletta (Toy) Ungerer
Age: 71
- Aletta started Masters Athletics in October 2004 at the age of 59 years.
- She was awarded National Colours and holds the SA Record for Age Group 60 – 65 yrs (100m & Long Jump); SA Record for Age Group 65 – 70 yrs (100m, 200m, 400m & Long Jump); SA Record for Age Group 70 yrs+(100m (3X), 200m (.87 sec from the World Record) and 400m (.89 sec from the World Record).
- Aletta has won medals at the following World Champs: California (Silver 400m, Silver Long Jump, Bronze 100m & 200m (2011); Brazil (1 Gold 400m, 1 Bronze 200m & 1 Bronze Long Jump (2013).
- Currently an Executive Member of Masters Athletics South Africa.
- Currently Chairperson of Masters Athletics SWD & Secretary of Athletics SWD (ASWD).
Frederick Mervyn Draai
Age: 71
- Frederick started his sporting career at Perseverance Rugby Football Club in Oudtshoorn.
- He started coaching in 1985 at Bridgton Rugby Club and went on to coach at All Blacks Rugby Club, Collegians Rugby Club and Spring Rose Rugby Club, where he achieved great success.
- Frederick coached the South Western Districts Rugby Union U/19, U/21, Amateur, Countryside and Women`s teams respectively.
- Frederick was a selector for the South Western District Rugby Union and also played an instrumental role in the establishment of Women`s Rugby Clubs in the Eden area.
- He is currently the coach of the Oudtshoorn School of Skills.
Harry Joseph Levendal
Age: 64
- Harry started his Rugby career in 1973 at Happy Hearts Rugby Club in Brandwacht.
- He served in various capacities of Chairperson, Player, Coach and Referee.
- In 1984, Harry was named the South Western District Rugby Union Junior Coach.
- Harry is a former Director of Rugby for the Southern Canoe Region.
- He is currently retired from sports and was honoured as a South Western District Eagles Veteran.
Leonard Giles
Age: 63
- Leonard started in 1963 in a small town called Herold`s Bay.
- He was chosen to represent South African Surfing in 1982 at the World Surfing Champs in Portugal.
- Has won multiple South African Championships over 8 different divisions and 10 Victoria Bay Quad Titles across numerous divisions.
- Leonard was the first surfer from his area to receive National Colours for Surfing.
- He has donated his Victoria Bay Quad Trophy and it is being used as the Open Division Prize.
