Pretoria – Thousands of people yesterday took part in the national big walk organised by the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture under the theme “IChoose2BActive, how about you?”.
Billed as one of the department’s healthy lifestyle flagship programmes, the event saw families and friends in high spirits as they walked together to stay healthy.
Participants started at Fleur Primary School and finished off at Fountains Valley Pretoria, with 5km, 10km and 15km routes that ended with an aerobics session and live musical performances.
The department said the programme was intended to motivate the public to take up the practice of walking as an easier tool of achieving a healthy lifestyle.
The national Big Walk event, which had a two-year hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic, is held annually in October to coincide with the world walking month.
The department said: “The Big Walk has seen massive growth since its debut back in 2012 by gradually turning into a 365-day call for action being led by the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture with the objective of urging all South African citizens to choose an active lifestyle.”
Gracing the occasion was deputy minister Nocawe Mafu, accompanied by the Gauteng MEC for Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation Morakane Mosupyoe and Deputy Minister in the Presidency Pinky Kekana.
Mafu said: “Healthy living lifestyle is very critical and the big walk is about that.
“It is also about that we walk against gender-based violence.
“But one of the big things is that it is also part of the activation for the World Cup of Netball that we are hosting as South Africa in 2023 in Cape Town.”
Since its debut in 2012, the event has seen gradual growth with a call to turn it into a 365-day call for action urging South Africans to choose an active lifestyle.
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