By Nangamso Mabindla
19 September 2006

MUNICIPAL councillors and officials from all over southern Africa will don their sports gear to take part in the tri-annual municipal games taking place in Buffalo City from 25 September to 30 September.

Organised by the South African Municipal Sport and Recreation Association (SAMSRA), the games aim to build and promote a sound working relationship between municipal officials and councillors, locally, nationally and regionally.

The municipal teams will compete against each other in soccer, netball, volleyball, table tennis, pool and darts.

Buffalo City's senior communications officer, Mamnkeli Ngam, said the games would be backed by the Buffalo City Sports Club.

"We feel honoured to be hosting the games because this means that the SAMSRA management has confidence that we will be successful in hosting them," said Ngam.

The local economy, he added, should benefit from the games as guests would be using facilities like hotels, and buying from the city's businesses.

He urged both residents and municipal officials to make their guests feel welcome – "make them feel at home".

SAMSRA is affiliated to the Southern African Inter-Municipal Association formed by the National Municipal Sport Association of Swaziland, Botswana, Lesotho and Namibia.