Tshwane - Minister Sports, Arts and Culture Nathi Mthethwa will on Wednesday embark on an official trip to Liverpool as the Proteas Netball team take part in the 2019 Netball World Cup.

The aim of Mthethwa's visit is for the fulfilment of two objectives to support the Protea's Netball team.

The Proteas, who are ranked first on this continent and fifth in the world, will be representing the nation at this year's World Cup, which is taking place from July 12–21.

Mthethwa will engage various stakeholders ahead of the 2023 Netball World Cup, which will be hosted in South Africa.

He will also partake in the official handover of the torch symbolising South Africa receiving hosting rights of the 2023 Netball World Cup.

"When the President of International Netball Federation Hon. Molly Rhone, OJ, CD indicated the following when awarding South Africa the rights to host the Netball World Cup in Cape Town, I was elated, as ours is a country with a reputation of successfully hosting world events with great aplomb," he said.

"We are aware that after the England Netball World Cup has been concluded, all eyes will shift to South Africa and teams will be descending on our country for their own inspections. All the teams traveling here must find us in a state of readiness and be left without doubt that as the next host country, we are indeed prepared.

"This therefore means the task of hosting this showcase of the best Netball talent in the world along with its legions of fans, which South Africa boasts millions of, must immediately commence. Whilst in Liverpool, I will be engaging all key Netball stakeholders for this specific purpose," concluded Mthethwa.

The 16th edition of the Netball World Cup in 2023 will be held at the International Convention Centre in Cape Town.

It will be the first time that the Netball World Cup will be held in Africa as Netball South Africa's proposal was selected by the International Netball Federation (INF) ahead of another 'exceptional bid' submitted by Netball New Zealand.