A politician, a soccer ball and a media man “walk into a bar”…
This was the unlikely tri-alliance – sport, politics and media – as the 4th annual KIA Street Soccer league launched in Khayelitsha on Friday. It was Good Hope fm “striker” Carl Wastie up against the reliable hands of “goalkeeper” Dr Ivan Meyer, the Western Cape Minister for Cultural Affairs and Sport, not in a bar, but at Bangiso Street in Khayelitsha, as Wastie prepared to take the penalty that would declare “the games” officially open. After two months of preparation, with road shows and training of coaches and coordinators in 40 communities around the country, it was time for the formal launch.
Home to the defending champions, the Khayelitsha street was lined with community members appreciative of the interest shown in them. Last year’s winners were on hand to parade the trophy for the last time, before handing it over. For the ordinary member of the public and the “VIPs” alike, Friday was an opportunity to see the good that can come from being a united front across different industries. There were the football free-stylers and there was food; inspirational radio jocks and the national anthem…and of course the football itself.
Yet this was only a taster of what was happening countrywide, as 6000 participants in five provinces and six cities do battle for the next four months in an effort to be crowned the National KIA Street Soccer Champions, with the chance of being flown to Brazil for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
As week after week of the league rolls by, it remains to be seen whether Khayelitsha, and the Western Cape, can replicate the form that saw them take league honours, or if a team from the other provinces can mount a challenge.
A special thanks to Western Cape Minister for Cultural Affairs and Sport Dr Ivan Meyer; Captain Mandlana and his colleagues at the Khayelitsha SAPS; Carl Wastie, the Ozone with SeanO team as well as all at Good Hope fm; Mille; Ajax Cape Town; Wild Island; ProNutro; St John’s Ambulance and the educators and learners at Ummangaliso Primary School for making the KIA Street Soccer launch everything we envisioned it to be.
Thanks too to our sponsors and partners Kia Motors, Mille, Town Lodge, Dawn Wing, Bokomo, Krugerbets CSI; Media partners Supersport Let’s Play, Good Hope fm and Ukhozi fm; our PSL partners Ajax Cape Town and Amazulu; as well as the provincial Departments of Health for the continued support.
