City Sponsors Street Kids for World Championship

The City of Cape Town has approved a special grant of R150 000 to cover the cost of five street kids that will represent South Africa at a prestigious international Power Lifting event. The Global Power Lifting World Championship takes place in Dessau, Germany from 14 - 20 October 2005. Pastor Eric Hofmeyer, the team manager, will accompany the group which is due to depart tomorrow from Cape Town International Airport.

The children all from the City Mission, a multi service centre, are Bantu Mafanga (14), Michael Samuels (16), Eric Jumat (17), Luzuko Magalela (18) and Nico Martin (19).

The multi-service centre serves as a central intake and assessment centre for street children and forms an integral part of the Mayor's strategy to address the plight of the homeless in the City of Cape Town.

"This is part of the City's Smile-A-Child initiative to relieve the plight of poverty-stricken, abandoned and underprivileged street children," says Executive Mayor, Nomaindia Mfeketo.

"These youngsters have proved that they want to make a meaningful contribution to their own upliftment," she says.

Last year, the centre received a donation of 11 tons of gymnasium equipment to establish a gymnasium where street children could participate in physical exercise as part of the reintegration process.

"The benefits of the programme have been remarkable. The children have gained a new sense of confidence in themselves. They have learnt new values, goal setting, life principles and personal hygiene. Tomorrow five of them will leave the country as proud ambassadors of Cape Town," says Mayor Mfeketo.

The selection of the participants started with an inter-hostel competition between the various City Mission projects in the City. This culminated in the National Championships in June at the Virgin Active gymnasium in Constantia. A total of 21 participants were selected for the national team.

The team was coached by ten times world masters power lifting champion, Ian Morris, who is also the South African president of the Global Power Lifting Committee. He was assisted by Roger Peters, the 2004 world masters champion.

During the world championships the children will participate in three power lifting categories, namely a squat lift, a bench lift and a dead-weight lift.

"This R150 000 grant is a small investment for a promising future. We wish the team every success with their participation. Please bring back the medals," says Mayor Mfeketo.

Issued by:

Communication and Marketing
City of Cape Town
Email: Media@Capetown.Gov.Za
Tel: 021 400 2201
Fax: 021 957 0023

Media Queries:
Jan Kruger
Tel: 021 400 1292
Cell: 084 300 0630

Eric Hofmeyer
Team Manager
Cell: 083 504 1107