By Emily Setona
QWAQWA – Thabo Mofutsanyana District Municipality (TMDM) recently launched its annual mayoral games with an exciting horse racing event in Makwane, Maluti A Phofung. The event, a first of its kind for the mayoral games, marked a significant shift from traditional sports activities and was part of the executive mayor’s initiative to diversify the district’s sports and tourism offerings.
In collaboration with the Local Economic Development (LED) & Tourism and Sports sections of the municipality, and stakeholders including SEDA, Old Mutual, and the Free State Development Corporation (FDC), the event which was held on 12October, featured a thrilling horse racing competition. The TMDM executive mayor Conny Msibi partnered with the horse racing team Dihwai to implement the program, attracting competitors from as far as KwaZulu-Natal.
Lehlohonolo Mosea who is one of the organisers said the following to this publication, “The competition went well and the overall winner went home with a cash prize of R10 000.”
“This year I wanted to shy away from the usual way of doing the mayoral games that’s why we partnered with Dihawi to host this horse riding competition in Makwane,” Msibi said.
Thabo Mofutsanyana District Municipality executive mayor Conny Msibi riding a horse at the traditional mayoral games in Makwane.
Members of the Mayoral Committee, the Chief Whip of Maluti A Phofung Moeketsi Lebesa, and other district councillors attended the event, adding to the occasion’s prestige.
This horse racing event has opened up new possibilities for QwaQwa to become a hub for the sport, which has great potential to boost local tourism and economic activity. With QwaQwa’s vast open spaces and growing interest in equestrian sports, the region could emerge as a prime location for future horse racing events, attracting participants and spectators from across South Africa. This would not only promote cultural and sporting diversity but also provide a significant boost to the local economy.
