Mpumalanga’s Eric Nxumalo benefits from Kay Motsepe Schools Soccer Cup prize money

The Kay Motsepe Schools Cup, sponsored by the Motsepe Foundation, Sanlam and the Ubuntu-Botho Trust, is the biggest soccer tournament in the country, reaching far beyond the field of play by making a massive contribution to education via the legacy projects that are funded by the prize money awarded to the provincial champions each year.

One of those, Eric Nxumalo High School from Thulamahashe was the Mpumalanga provincial champion in 2013, and was granted R100 000 to spend on educational and sporting projects in their community.

The official unveiling of the projects, which included the upgrade of the soccer pitch, replace broken windows and doors and tracksuits,  took place at the school recently and in attendance were representatives from Sanlam, The Motsepe Foundation, the SA Schools Football Association (SASFA) and the Department’s of Sport and Education.

At the unveiling the coach, Canon Simango, said the school has already registered for the 2015 Kay Motsepe Schools Cup tournament, and they are ready to start playing their cluster games.

The school still has 3 players from the successful 2013 team in their ranks: Enock Lebesi, captain Sydney Moyane and Leonard Nkuna, who have the experience and skills to help motivate the other players and set an example which will hopefully take the team to the national finals again.

Moyane in particular will prove dangerous on the field this year.  “He was part of the team that went on a training programme to Brazil in 2009 and he has improved dramatically and I believe he has the skills to help any PSL team,” said Simango.

Simango says the team has been training hard, at their local clubs, as well as with the school’s under-19 team.  “I would love nothing more than to win more money so that we can make even more improvements to the school for learners that will be attending it in the years to come,” he said.

Photo Caption:

Back row: (from left to right) Mr Sithole L.R. Deputy Principal , Mr Dennis Madondo, Mr Simango C.C Coach, Ms Wendy Ndlovu, Mr Mashele P. Principal,  Mr Mahlalela S. E. ,
Front row: (from left to right )  Leonard Nkuna,  Hlawulekile Moyane,  Enock Ubisse.

Ntsu High School’s football success earns them legacy projects

Since opening in 1994, Ntsu High School in Bethlehem, Free State, has produced outstanding results in the classroom as well as on the sportsfields, including a fourth-place finish in the 2010 Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup.
 
Run under the auspices of the South African Schools Football Association (SASFA), the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup is the biggest schools football tournament in the country with the most prize money of over R3m. The winner takes R1 million, R600 000 for the runners-up, R500 000 and R400 000 for third- and fourth-place finishers respectively. Each school that wins their provincial final receives R100 000.
 
The tournament prize money is spent on legacy projects identified by the school. In the case of Ntsu, the R400 000 prize money they received went towards a Kombi vehicle, laptops and shade cloth covering the assembly area where all the pupils congregate.
 
Ntsu’s Principal, Moeketsi Masiteng was overjoyed with the final outcome: “I am just so happy and grateful to Sanlam, the Motsepe Family Foundation and the Ubuntu-Botho Development Fund for helping us improve the quality of life of the pupils and teachers at the school.  
 
Masiteng went on to explain the impact each legacy project will make: “The weather here can be harsh at times and the pupils have had to stand for long periods in the blazing sun and the shade cloth will make such a difference to us all.”
 
“And now we have a Kombi for our school community to help us transport our pupils to various activities – including, of course, getting to the venues to play our 2011 Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup games!  And the laptops will further enhance the quality of learning at our school as we strive to reach our main academic goal of a 100% pass rate,” continued Masiteng.
 
“Our motto is to instil a culture of quality learning and teaching so that even our immediate communities feel proud of the work that we do in resolutely shaping the future of our country.  We strive to accommodate a fully multicultural teaching institution,” said Masiteng.  
 

Stanley Khumalo, Sanlam’s Financial Adviser in Bethlehem attended the handover of the legacy projects and said: “Sanlam understands the value of development and opportunity in realising one’s hopes. We believe that the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup creates opportunities that not only have a positive impact on the youth, but also provide exposure to scouts for those pupils who have talent. Importantly, it also contributes to enhanced learning through improved educational facilities for the benefit of the rest of the pupils in the participating schools and the broader community.  
 
Kenneth Makhanya, representative of the Motsepe Foundation and the Ubuntu-Botho Development Trust concurred with Khumalo: “The partnership with Sanlam and SASFA has afforded us the opportunity to reach as many high schools as possible, touching lives and bringing smiles to as many pupils and communities as possible. It is a great honour and thoroughly humbling to be able to contribute to building strong societies while developing a culture of football in our country.”
 
Ntsu, led by coach Mafokane Masooa first competed in the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup in 2004 when they were crowned Free State Provincial champions. Although they were runners-up last year, the rules of the tournament allow the teams that finish in first and second place in the Provincial finals to compete in the National finals and it was here where they excelled.
 
Said Masooa: “We were beaten by Harmony Academy to miss out on being Provincial champions, but we finished in fourth position in the finals which was even better. I have eight boys who also play for the PSL’s Free State Stars development programme, and their experience helped us a great deal.  
 
“The 2011 tournament is now underway and we are all geared up for the Regional finals this coming Saturday, and thanks to the new football kit and equipment, we are well prepared to fight for the top spot,” Masooa concluded.
 
The National finals of the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup will be held between 13 and 16 July 2011.   

Ntsu High School u19 team receive their new football kit from Stanley Khumalo (center), Sanlam Financial Adviser, for their 4^th placed finish in the 2010 Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup

Ntsu High School u19 team receive their new school bus from Stanley Khumalo (center), Sanlam Financial Adviser, for their 4^th placed finish in the 2010 Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup

Stanley Khumalo of Sanlam and Moeketsi Masiteng School Principal of Ntsu High School during the handover of the R400 000 4^th place finish prize in the 2010 Kay Motsepe Schools Cup. This is a view in the Computer Lab that was funded by the winnings