Teams ready for festive season tournament

The Sinthumule /Kutama annual soccer challenge, in partnership with Premjee and Sons, was launched during a ceremony at Benny’s Care on Saturday.

The event caters for 32 soccer teams from around Vhembe, netball teams and U/15 soccer teams. The tournament also boasts prize money of over R100 000 to be shared among the winners.

The tournament manager of Sinthumule/Kutama Community Sport Development, Mr Master Mathoma, said that it was important that future stars be identified at grassroots level. He appealed to the club officials and players not to involve themselves in wrongdoings such as bribery and assault on referees, saying that such actions would not only bring the tournament into disrepute, but it would also dent the image of the sponsor.

The president of the Makhado Local Football Association, Mr Joseph Maphaha, said that residents were very grateful for a tournament of this magnitude. “We believe it came at the right moment as it will keep people occupied during this period of the year,” he said. He also mentioned that Vhembe is a region rich in talent and that “we have, over the years, seen some talented South African soccer players being unearthed from this area.”

Councillor Elisa Tambani appealed to the business community to follow in the footsteps of the sponsor of the tournament, saying that sports had become a major employment provider of late. The champions in the soccer tournament will collect R15 000, a trophy and a soccer kit. The runners-up will get R10 000, a soccer kit and silver medals. The team that ends up in the third spot will get R5 000 and bronze medals.

Date:22 December 2017

By: Kaizer Nengovhela

Kaizer Nengovhela started writing stories for Limpopo Mirror in 2000. Prior to that he had a five year stint at Phala-Phala FM as sports presenter. In 2005 Kaizer received an award from the province's premier as Best Sports Presenter. The same year he was also nominated as Best Sports Reporter by the Makhado Municipality. Kaizer was awarded the Mathatha Tsedu award in 2014.

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