Massive cash incentives for Soweto schools tournament

On a carefully curated pitch at the Bethlehem Grounds in Moletsane, Soweto, Moletsane High School are preparing to take on vistors Lavela Secondary School in a pool match in the Investec Soccer League.

Since 2008, Investec have run this tournament in Soweto, featuring 20 high schools from across the area, who play in two groups of 10 teams, with the top four in each group heading into the knockout rounds.

This year, to celebrate its 10th anniversary, Investec have upped the prize money to R500 000, with the winning school receiving R250 000, with all this money helping in the upgrade of the schools in the area.

Investec also supply kit to all the teams, and professional referees, which according to Moletsane manager Lawrence Mkapele, is very helpful in contrast to other schools tournaments in the area.

“It means a lot (the competition) it has motivated a lot of players. Pupils from other schools want to be admitted at our school … there are professional referees, unlike at other tournaments, run by the Department of Sports and Recreation. It is motivation for youngsters to understand that the referee’s decision is final.”

Mkapele, who has been a teacher and coach at Moletsane Secondary School for 29 years, believes that the contribution of Investec is also in stark contrast to the South African Football Association, who do not do enough for schools football.

“As long as there is a power struggle between Safa and Sasfa (the South African Schools Football Association) then we are going nowhere. They must come together and solve this issue, because at the end of the day, it is learners who are suffering … I had to spend my own money for this field to be cleared, as this grass was bumpy and a number of our pupils were injured.”

Moletsane won the competition in 2014, and have reached at least the quarterfinals in every year since its inception in 2008.

Lavela Secondary School, meanwhile, the only school in the competition from the Zola district, topped their group last year, and heading into last week’s match against Moletsane, they were top of the pool again, though they have not yet managed to win the competition.

“Last year we played nine games (in the pool) and won eight and lost one, as we speak now we are top of the table, we have played four, won three and drawn one,” says Lavela manager Themba Mbatha, who has been a teacher and coach at the school for 32 years, and who once played for Alexandra Blackpool in the old National Soccer League.