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The Gauteng Provincial Government is deeply concerned about the recent incidences of looting, vigilantism, destruction of property and violent protests directed at foreign nationals.

We condemn these acts in the strongest possible terms and commend the South African Police Services and law enforcement agencies for their sterling job in restoring calm in the affected areas in our province. To this end, the police have arrested 136 people suspected of public violence, possession of drugs, business burglaries. The law enforcement agencies will continue with this operation until the situation is stabilised and back to normal.

We call on all community leaders and political parties to stand up and speak out against these senseless acts of violence against foreign nationals. We need to hear every voice against xenophobia. We can't afford the repeat of events of the past years where many foreign nationals were killed and displaced. Stand up and be counted.

On Human Rights Day last year, I appointed an Eminent Group of Social Cohesion Champions led by retired Constitutional Court judge, Justice Yvonne Mokgoro. The specific mandate of the team includes facilitating frank conversations on racism and xenophobia among various sectors of the population in Gauteng. Their work focuses on dealing with structural and systemic factors and underlying causes of prejudice and inequality.  They are working in partnership with schools, community organizations, cultural and sporting organisations as well as the economic institutions. It is only though the mobilisation of all sectors of society that we can successfully tackle inequalities that reinforce prejudice.

Today we are launching the Premier's Social Cohesion Games. Through these games, we intend to unite all Gauteng residents against racism, xenophobia and all forms of prejudices that undermine nation-building and social cohesion.

These games also talk about a lot of things considering our past as South Africans, how apartheid blemished our nation and how we had to seek assist from other African countries for us defeat the previous regime.

We have roped in local soccer legends and those from fellow African countries who are resident in Gauteng such as William Okpara, Roger Fetumba, Kalusha Bywala, Timothy Bathabire, Innocent Chikoya, and Patrick Maverick.

They will be joined by South African soccer legends - Jomo Sono, Disco Makua, Doctor Khumalo, Brian Baloyi, Kennedy Makara, Thapelo Liau and Portia Modise.

The Social Cohesion Games have drawn huge support from a wide spectrum of South African personalities from the sporting, missive, cultural and media fraternities. They have also drawn support from diverse community notices in Gauteng.

The tournament comprises social seven a side football games, which will see former footballers and players over the age of 35, playing qualifying games all five corridors of our province. Given the theme of social cohesion, all regions will include a national team from various African Countries as well as a team made up of different religions and nationalities that constitute the rainbow society of Gauteng.     

It is known fact that football is a common denominator in Gauteng, on the continent and the world over. It transcends all differences and serves to remind us that we have a lot more in common than that which divides us.  By combining different nationalities in one provincial tournament, we can, in a small but significant manner, assist in unifying our province.
 
Today there is no doubt that sport plays a fundamental role in the development of social cohesion.  As our former late president Nelson Mandela aptly put it “Sport has always had the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else can. Sport can awaken hope where there was previously only despair”. True to these powerful words, we believed that sport can transcend race, politics and unite a country.

South Africa experienced this feeling of solidarity in 1995 when the Springboks won the Rugby World Cup; in 1996 with Bafana Bafana winning the African Cup of Nations; and again when we hosted the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

We are positive that we will achieve the objective of the games- to foster good relations between South Africans and non-South African communities.

Promoting social cohesion and contributing to nation building remains one of our key priorities as we build an economically and socially inclusive Gauteng City Region.

We know too well that the task of building a nation requires that we work together across race, class gender and political affiliation. It requires partnerships.

We therefore urge the people Gauteng to strive to use the sport plan to increase social cohesion and provide much needed opportunities for engagement in community life, foster healthy lifestyles as well as reducing conflict and criminal behaviour through education and sport.

The Games will be played in eight centres across Gauteng - Ekurhuleni, Johannesburg, Tshwane, West Rand and Sedibeng - in which 768 players from different African countries and 64 teams are involved.  The final be played on 05 March 2017,


Issued by Gauteng Provincial Government