Preparations are well underway for the 2025 edition of the Southern African Inter Ministerial Sports Association (SAIMSA) Games, set to take place in Maseru from September 21 to 26.
The annual event, hosted on a rotational basis within the Southern African Development Community (SADC), brings together thousands of municipal employees from across the region.
Its main objectives are to promote regional cooperation, employee wellness, and cultural exchange through sport.
Lesotho will welcome delegations from Eswatini, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and the host country itself. More than 6,500 participants are expected to converge on the capital for the week-long celebration of sport, health, and unity.
In the lead-up to the games, the Lesotho Local Authorities Sports Association (LELASA), in collaboration with the Maseru City Council (MCC), recently held a three-day series of high-level preparatory meetings at the ’Manthabiseng Convention Centre.
The meetings, attended by the SAIMSA International Executive Committee, the SAIMSA General Assembly, and General Managers, ran from Wednesday to Friday last week.
LELASA’s Secretary General Molelekoa Mafitoe confirmed that the meetings were designed to review Lesotho’s readiness, assess venue suitability, and finalise the sports codes and regulations for the upcoming games.
“The meetings were convened to address key issues including the sports codes to be featured, as well as the rules and regulations for the games,” said Mafitoe.
“We also conducted site visits with 160 delegates to inspect proposed venues.”
This year’s edition will feature a wide range of disciplines including football, netball, volleyball, pool, darts, cycling, chess, hiking, and moraba-raba, Lesotho’s traditional board game, which is being showcased as the country’s indigenous sport.
According to Mafitoe, hosting the event will not only promote physical wellbeing and employee morale but also offer a vital economic boost to the Kingdom.
“The games promote employee wellness and help bridge the gap between work and personal wellbeing. When workers are healthy and satisfied, they tend to perform their duties more effectively.”
He further noted that the event would generate significant tourism activity, create temporary employment opportunities, and provide a boost to local businesses.
The SAIMSA Games were established to encourage sports participation among local government and municipal employees in the SADC region. The games are designed to improve physical health, foster social cohesion, and facilitate the exchange of knowledge and experiences across member states.
With hosting duties rotating annually, the event also promotes regional integration and strengthens partnerships between cities and towns in Southern Africa. Previous editions have been held in countries such as Botswana and Namibia.
The 2025 edition represents a milestone for Lesotho, as the country positions itself as a competent and welcoming host of international sporting events. With less than two months to go, stakeholders across the Kingdom are intensifying preparations to ensure the successful staging of what promises to be a memorable SAIMSA Games.
Seabata Mahao is a general news reporter with special focus on Business and Sports. Started working at Newsday in 2021. Working in a team with a shared goal is what I enjoy most and that gives me the motivation to work under any environment leading to growth.
