Former soccer star feeds the community
ALEXANDRA - Former Bafana Bafana star Maimane Alfred Phiri joins hands with Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa to make a donation to Siyondla uMphakathi.
Former Ajax Cape Town and Bafana Bafana player, Maimane Alfred Phiri has shown his big heart and care for his community of Alexandra which shaped him.
Phiri donated food and schoolbags to Siyondla uMphakathi, a home for the elderly and orphans, whose name means ‘feeding the community’. He said it was important to take care of the less privileged and this was one of the ways to show his support.
Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa), who assisted Phiri with the donation, vowed to continue supporting Phiri in his community upliftment programmes in Alexandra. Prasa spokesperson Lawrence Venkile said as long as there was a need, the agency would continue supporting Phiri’s feeding scheme and the underprivileged.
“This is also Prasa’s own way of giving back to the communities that support our business operation,” he said. Prasa transports about two million people daily and they saw a role they can play in social upliftment.
Sylvia Mvumvu, owner of Siyondla uMphakathi, expressed her gratitude for the donation, which she said would go a long way to help the elderly and orphaned children the organisation looked after. “I was so stressed because there was no food anymore for the children and their grandparents but now with this donation, I can breath a sigh of relief,” Mvumvu said.
She added that her organisation still needed chairs for the children to use when they were outside. “I would also like a roof outside so that children can play in the shade when it’s hot and can also be protected against the rain,” she said.
Phiri’s father, Japan Phiri, was also present and giving a helping hand. “God gives him (Maimane) the strength, it’s not me. He must just keep on praying and I am grateful that he still prays for me,” said the proud father.
The former Bafana Bafana star said he would continue with the feeding schemes as it was something very close to his heart. He also passes on his soccer skills to the youth in order to keep them away from crime, through may avenues, including the Maimane Alfred Phiri games, to which Prasa is one of the sponsors.
