The United Taxi Industry Women hosted the first annual Women’s Sports Tournament on Saturday at the Laudium Stadium in Pretoria West.
The event was predominantly attended by various women who are professionally involved in the taxi industry.
The tournament also included fun walk, competitive soccer as well as inspirational talks by women in the taxi industry and recognition awards ceremony.
The women who took part in the Sports tournament were from the following taxi associations: Pretoria Randburg Soshanguve (PRS), RULLDTA, Halfway foot club, ASTOA, CTA, ARMSTRA, LLTA and ZMTA.
According to a statement released by the organisers and sponsors of the tournament, the ground-breaking sports tournament initiative is aimed at celebrating the strength, resilience and leadership of women in the taxi industry.
PRS Women chairlady Eunice Rabekane told Tshwane Talks that the idea behind the women’s sports tournament stems from the fact that every time when women from the aforementioned taxi associations meet, they do so in terms of business as they are looking for money, which is something that is stressful.
“So, the idea of the tournament is to allow us as women involved in the taxi industry to meet, network, have fun and talk about other issues except business,” said Rabekane.
“We wish to make this tournament an annual event until we have a strong squad that will be able to travel to other places and compete with women of those areas in sports like soccer,” she said.
Chairperson of PRS expressed joy that the event was initiated by women themselves without the involvement of men.
“Initiatives like this sports tournament strengthen unity and will put an end to issues like taxi violence,” he said.
He pointed out that the sports tournament is an intergenerational platform where the upcoming generations will also be part of the tournament.
Events and Sponsorship Manager at Icebolethu Katlego Matlapeng told Tshwane Talks that her company details idea to sponsor the tournament as it is part of celebrating Women’s Day.
“This is an opportunity to partner with women from the taxi industry because many a times they are neglected due to safety reasons and we felt there is a need to support them,” she said.
“Sponsoring the event will also give our company exposure in the taxi industry as many people want policy covers in this industry,” explained Matlapeng.
Thobekani Masango, who won the Man of the Match tournament in the soccer tournament said the following: “I feel very great for winning the award and it is not only for me but also for our association ARMSTRA.”
ZMTA Chairperson Mpho Motsepe said the aim of the tournament was to unify all people in the taxi industry and though boys played in the soccer tournament, the event was actually organised by women, and it will fight issues like gender-based violence and that is commendable.
“As men we are here to support this initiative by women and soon, we as the taxi industry will soon form and launch a taxi industry soccer league,” said Motsepe.
A relay race was also part of the sporting events and women competed in it.
Those who obtained positions one to three were awarded medals.
In the soccer finals ARMSTRA beat PRS 2-0. Third place in the soccer tournament went to Toyota Halfway Taxi Association.
As the soccer tournament’s winners, ARMSTRA won R5000 and a trophy and medals, PRS won themselves R2 500 and medals as losing finalists, while Toyota Halfway Taxi Association won R500 and medals for finishing third in the tournament.