Chief wants big push to develop rural youth skills

Plenty of talent here, insists Mandla

YOUTHS needed to spend their energy for their benefit and to benefit the nation – and sport was one way to do it, said Chief Mandla Mandela, Nelson Mandela’s grandson, as he celebrated Youth Day yesterday at the Mvezo Komkhulu Youth Tournament he organised.

Thirty-two soccer and netball teams from Mthatha and Dutywa took part.

“Today we remember the youth of 1976, as we benefit from their sacrifices,” he said.

“In Mvezo we are happy to have a person like Dalibhunga (Nelson Mandela’s praise name) come from this area ... who fought for our liberation.”

Although Mandla started the tournament alone in 1997, the national Department of Sport and Recreation became involved with a R200 000 donation.

The tournament is designed to develop sport in rural areas as part of Youth Day and Youth Month.

Mandla said the tournament was aimed at exposing the talents of rural boys and girls, and fighting alcohol and substance abuse in rural villages.

He said the tournament had grown and drawn interest from many teams.

“The high demand has seen 56 soccer teams applying, but we can only manage 32,” he said.

“We would like to see our boys playing in the Professional Soccer League and Mvela teams and then Bafana Bafana – and our girls in Banyana Banyana.”

He said he was from a family of sport lovers and players, with his grandfather Madiba and father Mkgatho and uncle Thembekile all keen boxers.

“My brother Ndaba played kickboxing and I played centre-forward in soccer, but now I am active in roadrunning. Every morning I run 10km,” said Mandla.

The soccer tournament was played on a dusty, uneven pitch with anthills.

“We need a proper sponsor to assist us to have a proper field,” he said.

“We want to move to another place. We need to develop skills among the youth and make them competitive with the outside world when it comes to sport.

“There is plenty of talent in rural areas but it needs to be developed.”

Despite the poor state of the soccer field Mandla said he was amazed by the brilliant soccer and netball skills on show.

Players like City Spurs captain Andile Matolengwe appreciated Mandla’s initiative to develop youth sport talent in rural areas.

“We were playing this tournament inside our hearts for Madiba, remembering his youth days. We are blessed that he is from this area and we, as youths, we want to follow in his footsteps.

“Youths must move away from drugs and alcohol but concentrate on this that builds the nation. We must be the youth who the elders like Madiba are proud of. We must not be the youth which they regret having,” said Matolengwe.

Princess NomaGcaleka Sigcawu of amaXhosa also hosted a Youth Day tournament, in Dutywa.