Times Of Swaziland: SNAT’S OVER E200K BOOST FOR SATO GAMES

SNAT’S OVER E200K BOOST FOR SATO GAMES
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Machawe Fakudze on 15/08/2024 08:30:00


MANZINI – Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT) is budgeting over
E540 000 for hosting the 2024 Southern Africa Teachers Organisation (SATO)
Games.
The country will play host to this year’s edition penned for the Somhlolo
National Stadium and the OlympAfrica in Lobamba. According to the SNAT
President, Mbongwa Dlamini, the games are expected to start tomorrow and
conclude on Saturday. Dlamini, who also serves as SATO President, said they were
proud to host the games. “We are grateful to our partners for joining us in
hosting the games. We thank government as well as the Ministry of Sports,
Culture and Youth Affairs for helping us secure the under-renovation Somhlolo
National Stadium,” Dlamini said.
He revealed that in the past they had challenges to secure sponsors as SNAT, and
for that reason he was grateful to the companies that were joining the wagon of
companies that were now partnering with them. “This is not about SNAT, but the
country, as failure to successfully implement the games will give an unwanted
picture about Eswatini,” he added.
Short
Meanwhile, SNAT Secretary General Mduduzi ‘Lot’ Vilakati revealed that they
were budgeting E540 000 to successfully host the regions teachers. “We are now
at around E200 000 short of meeting our target and we therefore urge companies
to join hands towards the hosting of the games,” Vilakati said. He also said
the games would start with a march from Mashibhini to the Somhlolo National
Stadium. Minister of Education and Training Owen Nxumalo, is expected to
officially open the 2024 SATO Games. He further revealed their partners, who had
pledged to assist the organisation in hosting the games in the country.
These are Makoti Festival, Nedbank, Instacash and Eswatini Royal Insurance
Corporation (ESRIC), to name a few. “The government has sponsored us through
securing Somhlolo, providing security and transport for our visitors,” he
concluded. The organisation finally revealed that seven out of 11 countries had
confirmed that they would be part of this year’s edition, but did not want to
reveal them.