The City of Johannesburg’s Sport and Recreation hosted the Healthy Lifestyle Programme, #CyaZeeVocaVoca, at the Paterson Park Multipurpose Centre in Norwood on Saturday, February 12, 2022.
With a DJ on site, ear-blasting music poured from the speakers, and the air of the Norwood neighborhood was filled with young children’s squeals of excitement as they indulged in adrenalin-packed fitness activities.
The Norwood community pulled out all the stops to organise the most interesting and energetic #CyaZeeVocaVoca Healthy Lifestyle Programme in 2022.
Dressed in grey City of Johannesburg branded sports t-shirts with matching white caps, the enthusiastic youngsters played indigenous games, while several others took part in rigorous and well-coordinated sporting codes such as netball, basketball, six a side, tennis and other recreational activities such as painting.
“I feel fortunate to be a part of this programme considering that basketball is my favourite sport and there aren’t many programmes that cater to female basketball players,” said Angel Oguegbunam, Team South Africa player.
“Basketball, I believe, is my most liberating sport where I show males that women are not helpless. I demonstrate to them that a woman can be as strong as, if not, more powerful than a man,” she added.
Sport and Recreation has been working to keep the residents of the City of Joburg engaged in sport and recreational activities at its facilities, and the majority of residents use the City’s facilities to exercise, stay fit and healthy. #CyaZeeVocaVoca Healthy Lifestyle is a programme was developed to expose individuals to a healthy lifestyle and to teach them why it is necessary to live a healthy lifestyle.
“The benefits of living a healthy lifestyle include learning about our health and understanding what should go into our bodies. Exercise can also be very fun and social,” said Tondi Davhana, the coach of Alexandra Basketball Club “It is critical for youngsters to understand that leading a healthy lifestyle minimises the risk of developing life-threatening illnesses that strike our people in the city,” he continued.
Physical inactivity may indirectly contribute to obesity-related malignancies (which make up 40% of all cancers diagnosed). Childhood obesity is linked to an increased risk of obesity, premature mortality, and disability in adulthood. Parents and guardians need to ensure that their children are physically active and make healthy food and beverage choices.
More #CyaZeeVocaVoca Healthy Lifestyle programmess will be held throughout the year. The organisers followed all the Covid-19 regulations by hosting the programme outside with social distancing, capping the number of participants at 250, and requiring participants to wear masks upon entering the facility. Before entering the premises, participants’ temperatures were taken sanitisers were laid out on the fields and spread throughout the facility.
“This event was mind blowing and all credit has to be given to the Sport and Recreation team as they exceptionally well to deliver the #CyaZeeVocaVoca programme in a well-coordinated manner,” said event organiser Dipuo Chauke.
“With the assistance of our stakeholders, the Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Department of health, Virgin Active and the South African National Council on Alcoholism, we were able to enhance the programme and for that we are grateful,” she added.
Written by Ntombifuthi Junerose Nkosi
15/02/2022