FOOTBALL INVITATIONAL MANCHESTER CITY COMING TO SOUTH AFRICA AND WILL JOIN IN THE MANDELA DAY CELEBRATIONS

English Premier League Football Club, Manchester City, will be visiting South Africa in their upcoming pre-season programme, ‘City on Tour’. Two games will be played against top PSL Clubs, the second taking place on Mandela Day, 18^th July.   To recognise this the organisers, Matchworld, have collaborated with Africa Rising and Manchester City to get the world to understand the concept ‘67 minutes for Madiba’, the ethical framework being “Service to one’s fellow human”.

                                                                           

Representing Manchester City at the launch was Patrick Vieira, Football Development Executive for Manchester City Football Club.  Patrick had an illustrious career at AS Cannes, AC Milan, Arsenal, Juventus, Inter Milan and Manchester City before moving in to an executive role at City on his retirement. He has won 9 league titles and 5 FA Cups. He also represented his country, France, 107 times and won the 1998 FIFA World Cup when he received France’s highest award, the Legion d’Honneur in 1998 and the UEFA European Championship 2000 for the French national team.

“South Africa is one of my favourite countries,” said Vieira.  “I spent a lot of time here during the 2010 FIFA World Cup and was thrilled when Manchester City tasked me to come over and launch the South African leg of our upcoming Tour.  Mandela is one of my heroes and to be part of Mandela Day will be an honour.”

The South African ‘Football Invitational in support of Mandela Day’ kicked-off in the same period last year when Manchester United played Amazulu.  “We are pleased that Manchester City has included South Africa in their pre-season Tour and help us promote Mandela Day.  We are continuing from where we left off last year and give all South Africans a chance to see another great team in action” said Lyndon Barends, Executive Chairman, Matchworld.

Manchester City was founded in 1880 and counts the European Cup Winners’ Cup, three League Championship titles, and five FA Cups amongst its honours. Under manager Roberto Mancini, City plays its home fixtures at the Etihad Stadium and won the title of Premier League champions for 2011/12 after a 44 year wait. They are currently second in the Premier League and will play in the FA Cup final on Saturday 11^th May.

“South Africa's love of football was clear during both the World Cup and most recently the African Cup of Nations.  The national pride that comes from hosting these prestigious tournaments is a testament to how the country embraces the sport,” said Tom Glick, Chief Commercial & Operating Officer at Manchester City Football Club.

“We are very excited to bring Manchester City closer to the South African community and our rapidly growing global fanbase. This will be a fantastic tournament and I speak for the full squad when I say how pleased we are to visit this wonderful country. Not only are the training facilities fantastic, but we have already seen the fans passion first hand from our previous visit in 2009 and look forward to July 2013,” said Glick.

“This year being Madiba’s 95^th Birthday we are supported by Africa Rising, founded by Ndaba and Kweku Mandela. In this way it becomes part of a bigger celebration to honour Mr Mandela” says Barends.

“For us as Megapro and Matchworld the Invitational is not only an annual treat but also a great honour especially since we are highlighting the importance of Mandela Day and the 67 minutes of community action.” Says George Rautenbach, Executive Chairman, Megapro Holdings.

Ndaba Mandela says: “We as Africa Rising are extremely proud to be associated with the Football Invitational in support of Mandela Day on this special birthday of our grandfather”.

Games will take place on 14 and 18 July against South African PSL teams still to be finalised.  Tickets, like last year, will be priced between R150 and R350 and will be on sale at Computicket at the end of May.

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MANDELA DAY:

The overarching objective of Mandela Day is to inspire individuals to take action to help change the world for the better, and in doing so build a global movement for good. Ultimately it seeks to empower communities everywhere. “Take Action; Inspire Change; Make Every Day a Mandela Day.”

Individuals and organisations are free to participate in Mandela Day as they wish; however everyone is urged to adhere to the ethical framework of “service to one’s fellow human”.

Thapelo Seboko from Randfontein to accompany Sinamuva Public Primary School to the under-12 Danone Nations Cup World Final

Can one get a better 13^th birthday present than a trip to Poland to attend the 40-nation under-12 Danone Nations Cup football World finals? For Thapelo Seboko this is a dream come true.

Seboko, from Mohlakeng in Randfontein, whose father is a cleaner and mother a street sweeper, is a Grade 7 pupil at the AB Phokomope Primary School and was lost for words when he heard he had won the trip after entering the Danone Canon kids reporter competition on etv’s morning show, Sunrise.

“English is my favourite subject at school, particularly reading, and this opportunity will help me learn more,” said Seboko.  “I don’t know what to expect when I get to Poland, but I am looking forward to seeing the country and tasting the food.  Never did I think that I would ever get to go overseas.  When I told my friends I became the hero of the township.”

Seboko comes from a football loving family.  His father, Desomond Motlogelwa, was a defender with amateur club, Home Stars, and once he stopped playing went on to form and coach an amateur club, Majova, which he was forced to close due to lack of funds.    Seboko himself is a football fanatic and plays for the local amateur club, Kwaal FC. 

“I support Chiefs and Thapelo supports Pirates so we are at war when these two side play,” laughs Motlogelwa.  “But football is always the winner so after every game we talk about the team that played the best football, and why, and that team is the winner.  We like to watch international football as well and Barcelona is our best team.”

Motlogelwa is particularly excited because both his sons have got to travel while still in Primary School.  “My older son, who is now 16, went to Cape Town when he was the same age as Thapelo to participate in an Athletics event.  Now it is Thapelo’s turn and I am a proud father.”

On a sombre note, the person that Seboko looks up to the most is Mrs Pharule, his Maths and EMS teacher.  “She is my favourite teacher because she is so kind and generous.  Lots of the children at school do not get any food at home and she helps and gives whatever she can.”   Motlogelwa explains that the school does have a feeding scheme, a government initiative, which gives  all children at least one meal a day.

Sebeko will join the 14 players from Sinamova Public Primary School from KwaZulu-Natal on the trip.  Sinamova became eligible to participate in the World Finals after winning the South African Danone Nations Cup.  The team will leave South Africa on the 4 September and the World Finals will take place in Warsaw from 7 to 9 September.  Sebeko could well get to meet the Danone Nations Cup ambassador, Zinedine Zidane.