Pretoria – The Department of Basic Education, in partnership with the Motsepe Foundation, has launched the 2016 edition of the Kay Motsepe Schools Netball and Football Cup.
The Kay Motsepe Schools Netball and Football Cup has been in operation for 10 years and is regarded as having the largest prize money – R1 million – in the world for schools football.
On 24 November 2015, the Motsepe Foundation announced a sponsorship amounting to R117.5 million over 10 years for the development of school football, netball, choral and traditional music.
The 12th edition of the football tournament will take place in Johannesburg from 3 - 8 October 2016 and will see 18 teams, two from each province, challenging to dethrone current champions, Pretoria’s Clapham High School.
The netball teams will compete from 6 – 8 October 2016, where the top three teams will win a trip to compete in Singapore.
Speaking at the launch and public draw for the tournament on Tuesday, Nozipho Xulu from the Motsepe Foundation said the foundation is excited to contribute to the development of football and for the first time, netball.
“It gives us great pleasure to participate in such development and we are really looking forward to growing the partnership we have with the Department of Basic Education,” said Xulu.
She said for the past years, the foundation has seen schools doing amazing work with the money they win for the development of football and their schools in general.
“… One of the schools in the Eastern Cape decided to build a borehole for the community. It’s an outstanding human story that we like to see as a foundation. We are not only contributing to football specifically but we are contributing in a broader way,” said Xulu.
Bongani Zondi from the Department of Basic Education said the partnership between the department and foundation is not just a short-term arrangement but a long term partnership to ensure the sustainability of the programme.
Zondi said by involving boy and girl learners, they are ensuring that they instil educational principles in learners.
“The discipline and time management they develop are skills that are pertinent, even when they go to class to learn. When our learners are physically active, we then dispel all these lifestyle diseases that are now crippling us,” said Zondi.
Zondi acknowledged the contribution from teachers and parents in supporting the programme.
South African Football Association President Danny Jordaan emphasised that education is a societal issue.
“If you take care of the kids at school and help them to become balanced and realise their full potential… that is a contribution to society,” said Jordaan, adding that the tournament must embrace all schools.
“I’m happy that in our first finals this year, you can see that transformation has begun.”
He said one the things that has always been a challenge was to connect schools sport and bring them through the mainstream of sport.
“What the Kay Motsepe Cup has done is to bring that connection. If you give R1 million to the winning school, that school can fulfil its dreams … and bring a better learning environment. We are happy to support and partner with the Basic Education and Motsepe Foundation,” Jordaan said. – SAnews.gov.za
