Company news: BESTmed announces rugby club sponsorships

BESTmed supporting rugby in the Western Cape - from left BESTmed Regional Manager Barry Rykaart, Boland Rugby Union team physiotherapist Brent Martin, medical doctor Adele Lubbe, fitness trainer Victor Hendrikz and BESTmed Corporate Affairs General Manager Alan Fritz

BESTmed Corporate Affairs General Manager Alan Fritz says the Boland and Hillcrest Rugby Clubs have received R100 000 and
R24 000 respectively.

“By being involved in communities where our members are represented, we believe we are fulfilling our vision of being the scheme of choice for access to quality healthcare. These sponsorships are geared towards supporting the players in two ways - to train professionally and to ensure that all their healthcare needs are met.

“The Boland Rugby Union lays the foundation for many a young black player like the Springbok and Sharks fullback/wing JP Petersen. On the other hand the Hillcrest Rugby Club has proven its value with the coaching of young coloured players. We believe these two clubs are setting an excellent example for transformation in rugby which will stand South Africa in good stead in the future.”

Piet Bergh of the Boland Rugby Union welcomed the sponsorship, saying it will go a long way in the club's mission to support young players.

Denzil Dominey of the Hillcrest Rugby Club says such support from big corporate companies paves the way for smaller clubs to play a role a meaningful role in developing the game in South Africa.

“We are humbled by this support which will go a long way in assisting the youth in our community to participate in physical activities and help fight the war against drug abuse.”

Fritz says this support underlines BESTmed's role as a socially responsible corporate citizen.

“Our corporate social investment strategy is based on four pillars - health, education, sports development and socio-economic upliftment. The support to these clubs fully falls within the ambit of our strategy. We trust that this support will assist the clubs to reach new heights in the coming rugby season,” he says.

BESTmed's other sports sponsorships include Swimming South Africa. Six potential qualifiers of the South African Beijing Olympics team - four swimmers and two athletes. The swimmers are South Africa's swimming team captain Gerhard Zandberg, Thabang Moeketsane, Garth Tune and Chanelle van Wyk.

The two athletes are Geraldine Pillay and LJ van Zyl.

The company also supports two black female golfers at the David Riddle Golf Academy and the Westering primary rugby development programme.