Thirty One Status tournament a hit
Undefeated champions Walter Sisulu University took both trophies and the overall R10,000 cash prize for soccer and R5,000 prize for netball in the Thirty One Status (TOS) fifth annual tournament in Ntabethemba on the weekend.
TOS is a non-profit organisation that focuses on education and assists young people with tertiary and financial aid applications.
Among other programmes, TOS has established the Build a Box project where visits to primary schools are conducted and school items donated to disadvantaged pupils.
The sports tournament, among an array of other social activities organised by TOS,, is aimed at keeping young people off the streets.
The NPO’s director Luvo Hempe and organiser Akhona Mbethe said: “This year we wanted to do things better and
bigger since we were celebrating five years into the tournament.
“We had written to a number of stakeholders and we are thankful for the support we received from the South African Police Service and others.
“So far, the organisation has applied [for bursaries] for more than 200 young people in
Ntabethemba which tells you that the organisation is rapidly growing.”
WSU coach Melikhaya Ntenetyana said his team was well-prepared, having played friendly matches with clubs in the ABC Motsepe League such as Seven Stars and Amavarara.
“We had to identify our weaknesses and strengths so we
could enter the game with a proper game plan.
“The tournament has also prepared us for upcoming trials.
“We are all about developing the players,” said Ntenetyana.
Police spokesperson Captain Namhla Mdleleni commended the NPO’s efforts to enhance relations with communities
through sport and to celebrate Heritage Day in a different way.
“The well-organised and successful initiative was a result of sterling and diligent work by a hardworking Community Police Officer [CPO] Constable Mninawa Mboniswa, who organised soccer and netball teams from various areas, and further mobilised the youth to support the tournament. SAPS worked with a well-known and popular non-profit organisation in the area, Thirty One Status,in ensuring the success of the initiative” Mdleleni said.
Ntabethemba SAPS station commander Captain Mphumzi Mene said the tournament provided an effective way to engage youth from different areas in an effort to fight crime.
“This is an annual tournament that we use as a platform to engage youth and educate them about a number of issues that relate to fighting crime.
“This kind of initiative is also an effort to close gaps between the police and the community we serve.
“And we have been successful in doing that,” Mene said.
He said the initiative fitted in with Operation Sikhona’s crime awareness campaign, which was aimed at reducing crime in the province.