Nearly 300 young people put their skills on display at Erica Park in Belhar, at the annual event that celebrates the power of recreation in promoting fitness and social cohesion.
The annual Cape Town Games has been a fixture on the Recreation and Parks Department calendar since 2013.Codes include friendly competitions in five-a-side soccer, fast-five-netball, dodgeball, three-a-side basketball, dominoes, table tennis, drie blikkies and puca.
The event continues to draw growing interest each year, with the inclusion of new sporting codes and increasing participation from youth.
This year, there were 292 participants from across the city, including areas such as Mitchell’s Plain, Dunoon, Langa, Khayelitsha, Bonteheuwel, Hanover Park and Ocean View, among others.
‘We witnessed incredible moments of friendly competition across the sporting codes, and I want to salute each and every person who participated, cheered from the sidelines, or had a hand in organising the event. The Cape Town Games is an impressive event, drawing hundreds of participants each year. It reflects the power of recreation to bring communities together, to challenge ourselves and to remind us of the joy found in movement and connection,’ said Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services and Health, Councillor Francine Higham.
The Cape Town Games is a celebration featuring young people who regularly attend and participate in activities hosted through the Recreation and Parks Department’s Afterschool Programme. This Afterschool Programme is offered at Community Centres across the city, which has seen over 10 000 participants between July 2024 and March 2025.
Afterschool programmes cater for two key age groups: the Active Kids Afterschool Programme for children aged seven to 13 years and the Youth Afterschool Programme for those aged 13 to 18 years. Children take part in daily activities which include a variety of sport codes, board and other active games and indigenous games, while the youth programme offers structured activities such as e-sport, mind and board games, street tournaments and life skills development through the Recreation Leadership Development Programme.
Both programmes aim to promote active play, teamwork and leadership, with participation growing steadily across the city.
Young people interested in joining are encouraged to visit their local recreation centre and sign up for the programmes on offer.
