A former president of Netball South Africa and well-known personality in numerous sports committees, Ms Ntambi Ravele, received a Lifetime Achiever Award during the Limpopo Sports Awards held at the Bolivia Lodge in Polokwane last Wednesday.

During the same event, Ms Rights Mkhari, a Vhembe rugby player, was crowned as Sportswoman of the Year. She is also the treasurer of the Limpopo Softball Association and the chairperson of the finance committee of Softball SA.

The Minister of Sport and Recreation, Mr Fikile Mbalula, said it was good for sportsmen and -women to be honoured at home by people who knew them. He paid tribute to all the sports people and told them that their talent must not end in Limpopo, but that they must also achieve international acclaim.

The premier of Limpopo, Mr Stan Mathabatha, said he believed that Limpopo was the hub of stars. He said young people should participate in sports and follow the trail of Caster Semenya, who was honoured with the highest national order, the Order of iKhamanga, by Pres Jacob Zuma a fortnight ago. “It is worth recalling that the segregation policies of apartheid also left a giant mark on the field of sport. South Africa under apartheid was subjected to a variety of international boycotts, including the sporting front. The highlight of our return to the international stage was our hosting of the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup,” he added.

After the event, a sports presenter at Makhado FM, Mboneni Munyai, remarked that the people who had received awards only hailed from Capricorn District and Sekhukhune. He said that if the selectors had been fair, they couldn’t leave out the Limpopo schools soccer giant Benny’s Care. Benny’s participated five times in the national finals and finished second in the Metropolitan U/17 tournament. He added that the Ma-Indies Ladies team and Tshilwavhusiku Special would have been worthy winners.

The awards went to Richael Selopyane (disabled sportswoman of the year), Mathlatsi Malatjie (disabled sportsman of the year), Ishmael Legodi (intellectually impaired sportsman of the year), Ruth Mabunda (intellectually impaired sportswoman of the year), Job Malesa (recreation male star of the year), Right Mkhari (sportswoman of the year), Peter Maluleke (volunteer of the year), Brussels Ngwoako Primary School (school sports team of the year), Jonas Mothobi (sportsman of the year), Simon Ramafalo (sports journalist  of the year), Jan Roets (coach of the year), the Limpopo basketball team (sports team of the year), Phaladi Phumlani (sports star of the year), Polokwane City FC (most promising team of the year) and Ntambi Ravele (lifetime achiever).