In the media

Mandela Challenge gets boost

11 October 2007

Source: The Star

Publication: www.thestar.co.za

Author: Nkareng Matshe

Following last year’s amateur dramatics in the organisation of the Nelson Mandela Challenge, the South African Football Association have secured Royal Bafokeng Holdings as the event sponsor for the next three years.

The platinum-rich North West company has agreed to pump an undisclosed amount into the annual event, which will be used to attract top-class opposition to face Bafana Bafana.

The financial windfall delighted Safa, who endured anxious and embarrassing moments after they were duped by amateur match brokers to arrange last year’s event, which nearly did not take place.

Opponents Egypt threatened to pull out of the fixture, which was staged in London, because they had not been paid a match fee.

The event was also taking its toll on Safa, who had to pay some of the proceeds to the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund.

Now Royal Bafokeng will take care of matters like that and, this year, they have secured United States, who will face South Africa on November 17 (Ellis Park, 3.30pm).

“We see this as an opportunity to honour Nelson Mandela and the event fits in with our model to use sports as an agent for positive change,” said Mpueleng Pooe, Royal Bafokeng’s chief executive for public affairs.

The Bafokeng tribe, based in Phokeng outside Rustenburg, already hold majority shares in Platinum Stars, the Premiership team.

Safa chief executive Raymond Hack, the chief architect of last year’s mess, was a relieved man yesterday.

“We are fortunate in that we’ve found a partner with a vision to stay with us for the next three years and possibly beyond,” he said.

The United States, who are ranked 18th by world governing body Fifa, will arrive in the country on Sunday November 11, spending an entire week here before meeting Bafana for only the second time since the end of isolation.