The City of Johannesburg secured an impressive second place at the 2026 OR Tambo S​oncini Social Cohesion Games, finishing behind Ekurhuleni after a tough contest against municipalities across Gauteng. Hosted by Johannesburg from 24 to 25 October, the games brought together athletes from across the province to compete in athletics, football and rugby at the Roodepoort Athletics Stadium, Trezona Park and Hoërskool Florida.

Johannesburg accumulated 35 points, just eight behind winners Ekurhuleni, which claimed first place with 43 points. West Rand finished third with 32 points, followed by Tshwane on 26 points and Sedibeng on 21 points.

The games celebrate the legacy of anti-apartheid icon Oliver Reginald Tambo and his Italian ally, Giuseppe Soncini of Reggio Emilia, using sport to promote solidarity, unity and social cohesion.
MMC for Community Development Cllr Thapelo Amad said: “The annual games celebrate the legacy of anti-apartheid icon Oliver Reginald Tambo and his Italian ally, Giuseppe Soncini of Reggio Emilia, promoting solidarity through sport."

Among Johannesburg's standout performers was 14-year-old Pamela Ditire from Orange Farm, who won the 800m race. Reflecting on her victory, Pamela said: “It was hot while I was running, but I just thought about my role model, Caster Semenya."

The Gauteng Football Association received special recognition as the best-performing federation, while Sedibeng was named the best-reporting municipality.

Tiyani Baloyi, Assistant Director of Sport and Recreation at the City of Johannesburg, served as Chef de Mission, leading the city's team and coordinating its participation across the different sporting codes.

“It was a great and humbling experience. My responsibility was to lead, channel the team in one direction, and forge unity among athletes competing across different sports. As the host city, we also had a huge responsibility to ensure logistics ran smoothly. Thanks to strong collaboration, we are proud to have successfully hosted the games," said Baloyi.

Johannesburg's second-place finish reflects the city's competitive spirit and the determination of its athletes, who rose to the challenge against strong provincial opposition while helping to make the games a celebration of sporting talent, teamwork and social cohesion.

Written by Dr Karabo Semenya
26/10/2025

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