Gauteng Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation and Gauteng Department of Health in partnership the City of Tshwane will launch the much anticipated Hanyani Wellness Programme. The campaign is named Hanyani which means living long in xiTsonga.
Over 2000 members of the community, health and fitness enthusiasts will descend upon Garankuwa Stadium on Saturday, 22nd February, to participate in various activities including Walk and Run, Yoga, Aerobics and more. There will also be health promotion and screenings done on site.
The programme is a response to the announcement made by Premier David Makhura during his 2019 State of the Province Address.
It is aimed at getting Gauteng people to lead healthier lifestyles and ‘Cheka Mpilo’. This initiative adds into the Gauteng Department Health Mpilo App, a platform dedicated to improving patient experience in Gauteng Health facilities by improving waiting times and speedy resolution of complaints in the health facilities.
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The campaign will be rolled out throughout the province.
“We encourage the people of Gauteng to use the freely available outdoor gym facilities that have been built throughout Gauteng. It should be fashionable to exercise either walking, running, taking yoga, playing active sport, including recreational programmes such dancing, aerobics. We want people of Gauteng to live a healthy lifestyle.” said Gauteng Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation, MEC Mbali Hlophe.
Gauteng of Department of Health MEC Bandile Masuku added “Unhealthy diets and lack of physical inactivity are major risk factors for various lifestyle diseases such as hypertension, obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and cardiovascular diseases, these can be prevented by changing the way we live our lives”.
Already the programme commenced in the various regions starting the past weekend and will continue this week until the end of the financial year.
Gauteng Government aim to build the Hanyani Wellness programme into a movement that will turn Gauteng into a healthy and active recreational space where everyone will have a chance to be part thereof and benefit from the activities on offer.
“We will be announcing partnerships with several private sector companies to conscientize the public on the importance of healthy active living. We are confident that the Hanyani Wellness and Mpilo Campaign will empower the people of Gauteng to take responsibility for their health”, adds MEC Hlophe.