Queen's Baton Relay - South Africa

Activities in South Africa kicked off on the 8 December at Mmabana Arts, Culture & Sports Foundation with dances and Gymnastrada, a mass group display of gymnastics, whilst Arthur Mahlatsi, a former member of the original Soweto Youth String Quartet, played the violin to soundtrack the performance.

Following the performance, the Baton visited excited pupils at Bonwakgogo Primary School in Rustenburg. Bringing the spirit of the Commonwealth to more children, the Baton was taken to Sundown Range, a National Youth Camp, where the first day came to a close.

Day two activities got started at JB Marks Municipality Chambers, shortly followed by visits to North West University and its High Performance Institution, where many international, national, and local sports teams and individuals train. While at the institute, accomplished South African sportspeople gave inspiring speeches, among them were: Hezekiél Sepeng, former Olympic sprinter, Matthews Temane, middle- and long-distance runner, and Liezel Gouws, Paralympic athlete and a world record holder.

Day three saw the Baton visit the 'Big Hole', an open-pit and underground mine once thought to be the deepest hole excavated by hand. When the mine was active, almost three tons of diamonds was recovered from it - the equivalent of almost 17,000 hockey balls! The remainder of the day was spent at Elizabeth Conradie School, a special needs education centre.

The fourth and final day of the South African Relay was spent in Cape Town. The first stop in the capital was the township, Langa. Then the Baton was taken to Siyabulela Primary School and the Dompass Museum, which is now a Provincial Heritage Site. The final visit in Langa was Brenda Fassie's Home, a popular singer born in the town, who was known as the "Madonna of Townships.