KWAZULU NATAL SANLAM KAY MOTSEPE SCHOOLS CUP PROVINCIAL CONTENDERS WILL PLAY FOR R100 000

The KwaZulu-Natal provincial champions in the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup competition will be determined this Saturday and Sunday, 30^th June – 1^st July, when the playoffs are held at the Velden-Vlei Sports Complex in Richards Bay, kicking off at 9am.

The winners and the runners-up on Saturday will go through to the national finals of the competition in Bloemfontein in October.

The 2011 champions, Umqhele Public Secondary School from the Pinetown Region, will be back to defend their title. The school is situated in a township called Cleremont near Durban and this is the sixth time they are participating in the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup and the second time they have made it through to the provincial finals.

The R100 000 won last year for being provincial champions was used to install new electrical equipment at the school, purchase six sewing machines for the Consumer Studies students and a perimeter wall was built for security.

Ten members of last year’s team are back again this year. Two of them: Linda Bhengu(striker) and Martin Mthimkhulu(goalkeeper) are part of the AmaZulu Academy and eight play for Fubs Football Club, a local team that is currently number one in the Durban Second Division League. 

Umqhele coach, Phenduka Mkhwanazi, has been coaching the school team for 12 years. He says the tournament really helped the school last year and he would like to win again and use the funds to renovate their training ground. “I am confident that we will perform even better this year because the players are now more experienced and dedicated, which is what I believe is essential in a tournament like this. The opposition will not have it easy against us.”

Mkhwanazi will be looking to striker Sthembiso Sithebe, a member of last year’s team, to get the goals for them. “He is our captain and has an eye for goals,” and midfielder Khumbulani Ndlovu “He is a good dribbler who controls the ball well and creates chances for the strikers,” Mkhwanazi says.

Sthembiso Sithebe says what he has learnt from this tournament is never to underestimate your opponents and where you come from does not determine what you can be.  His dream is to play for Bafana Bafana in the near future like his role model and former student of Umqhele, Thanduyise Khuboni, a regular Bafana Bafana midfielder.

The other schools that will be in action in the finals are: Emxhakeni Combined Primary School (Amajuba Region), Welabasha High School (Empangeni Region), Tshelenkosi Secondary School (Ilembe Region), Lamontville High School (Umlazi Region), Sihle High School (Ugu Region), Mandlezizwe High School (Sisonke Region), Smero High School (Umgungundlovu Region), Ndlangamandla High School (Umzinyathi Region), Umtshezi High School (Uthukela Region), Ezibukweni High School (Umkhanyakude Region) and Mnyayiza High School from Vryheid Region.