Central SA
O.R. Tambo games ‘drive economic, social development in Free State’─── REFILWE BEKANE 14:30 Fri, 31 Oct 2025
The annual O.R. Tambo games, held in October to honour the late Oliver Reginald Tambo, are seen by the Free State department of sport, arts, culture and recreation as a key platform for youth development and a contributor to the local economy.
The games culminate in a provincial championship, which was recently hosted in Welkom. The department views the games as a crucial mechanism to offer the youth a structured platform for sport participation.
The aim is to give the youth a platform to play and showcase their talent, said sport and recreation director Nokuzola Thamae. “Then the scouts can come and search for talent.” The talent scouted during those games will then receive new development opportunities.
The benefits of the games extend beyond sports development, she added. It is important that the participants – primarily the youth – are kept off the streets. She referred to the legacy of Tambo and the sentiment expressed by former president Nelson Mandela regarding the transformative role of sport.
Once children are engaged and off the streets, social issues tend to decrease – including teenage pregnancy and other societal challenges.
From an economic perspective, the games generate revenue within the province by maximising sports tourism. The event contributes to strengthening the provincial economy, Thamae added.
Participants in the games celebrate after winning a trophy. Photo: Free State department of sport, arts, culture and recreation.
“There are taxis and buses transporting participants to the neutral venue – which is Welkom. So our small businesses and medium-sized operators are at least getting something there – like accommodation bookings. It’s a good source of revenue generation for the Free State economy in various ways.”
To streamline future events, she outlined a crucial forward step. “We have already held discussions within the department of sport, arts, culture and recreation – and our MEC has already... scheduled a meeting where we will engage with all the municipalities.”
The upcoming MunMEC (Municipalities Meet the MEC) meeting in November is intended to ensure that municipalities incorporate game preparations – including funding for essential items like player safety and facility maintenance – into their planning cycles well in advance of the next annual games.
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