Founder and CEO of the Motsepe Foundation schools sport and culture competitions Dr Precious Moloi-Motsepe hopes the competition grows even bigger as it celebrates its 20th anniversary.
Moloi-Motsepe's ambition is to grow the competition not only for public school participation but also to include private schools to encourage social cohesion in communities.
The event has been ongoing in different provinces with the date set for the national finals.
The South African Schools Choral Eisteddfod is on August 7-10, Kay Motsepe Netball is on August 15-17 and the Kay Motsepe Football Championship runs from September 23-28.
This year's total grand prize is R11m.
“I think when we started, we never saw that it would grow to this level where more than 11,000 schools would be participating in football and more and more schools want to be part of it,” Moloi-Motsepe said.
“I am hoping that in the future competitions like the Kay Motsepe Schools Cup that happen among the traditionally black townships and rural communities can compete with the private schools.
“So that we can have a competition of equals, private schools and state schools, it brings that social cohesion that we look for in our country.”
She said 20 years ago the plan was to bring sport to schools but most importantly to bring down the level of poverty in the country.
“We thought that our biggest focus should be on young people and women. Also focus on education at university and secondary schools, and sports at the grassroots level.
“We did sport at the grassroots level because we realised that a lot of young people do not have opportunities.
“There is a lot of talent in our country; there are a few opportunities we created from rural communities, villages and townships that would come and excel and be supported as well.
“We partnered with the department of education and we now have partnerships with Sanlam as well and we not only look at prize money for these young people, we also do things like provide playing kits, transport and food.
“For the final competition, we provide from the provincial level to the finals where they need to compete and they have what they need.
“Though the prize money is important, it provides comprehensive support for young people so that they can excel and the testimony to that is people like Hlompho Kekana, who started with us.
“He mentioned today that he was one of the first young people to play in this competition. We have other international players — Percy Tau comes from this competition.”
As founders, Motsepe said those testimonies give them pride because they were able to unearth talent where they never expected it.
She said with Sanlam coming on board, the value is that not only will young people be competitive in sports and the classroom, but they will also learn financial literacy because that is what Sanlam brings to the partnership as well.
HeraldLIVE
Motsepe Foundation competitions celebrate 20 years of growth
Image: Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images
Founder and CEO of the Motsepe Foundation schools sport and culture competitions Dr Precious Moloi-Motsepe hopes the competition grows even bigger as it celebrates its 20th anniversary.
Moloi-Motsepe's ambition is to grow the competition not only for public school participation but also to include private schools to encourage social cohesion in communities.
The event has been ongoing in different provinces with the date set for the national finals.
The South African Schools Choral Eisteddfod is on August 7-10, Kay Motsepe Netball is on August 15-17 and the Kay Motsepe Football Championship runs from September 23-28.
This year's total grand prize is R11m.
“I think when we started, we never saw that it would grow to this level where more than 11,000 schools would be participating in football and more and more schools want to be part of it,” Moloi-Motsepe said.
“I am hoping that in the future competitions like the Kay Motsepe Schools Cup that happen among the traditionally black townships and rural communities can compete with the private schools.
“So that we can have a competition of equals, private schools and state schools, it brings that social cohesion that we look for in our country.”
She said 20 years ago the plan was to bring sport to schools but most importantly to bring down the level of poverty in the country.
“We thought that our biggest focus should be on young people and women. Also focus on education at university and secondary schools, and sports at the grassroots level.
“We did sport at the grassroots level because we realised that a lot of young people do not have opportunities.
“There is a lot of talent in our country; there are a few opportunities we created from rural communities, villages and townships that would come and excel and be supported as well.
“We partnered with the department of education and we now have partnerships with Sanlam as well and we not only look at prize money for these young people, we also do things like provide playing kits, transport and food.
“For the final competition, we provide from the provincial level to the finals where they need to compete and they have what they need.
“Though the prize money is important, it provides comprehensive support for young people so that they can excel and the testimony to that is people like Hlompho Kekana, who started with us.
“He mentioned today that he was one of the first young people to play in this competition. We have other international players — Percy Tau comes from this competition.”
As founders, Motsepe said those testimonies give them pride because they were able to unearth talent where they never expected it.
She said with Sanlam coming on board, the value is that not only will young people be competitive in sports and the classroom, but they will also learn financial literacy because that is what Sanlam brings to the partnership as well.
HeraldLIVE
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