AFVA calls for Alex Stadium to be renamed after Leepile Taunyane

The Alexandra Football Veterans Association held their annual year-end get together function on 6 December last year in the boardroom of the offices of the Alexandra Northrand Local Football Association.

At the meeting, the association’s secretary-general Robert Langa said the veterans issued a call to the City of Johannesburg to rename the iconic Alexandra Stadium after the late renowned football administrator and teacher Dr Leepile Taunyane.
The stadium used to host various soccer matches in years gone by involving teams such as Orlando Pirates, Kaizer Chiefs and Moroka Swallows.

“We long for the day when our stadium will be renamed after one of our best football administrators, Ntate Taunyane, who excelled in football administration in the township and at the Premier Soccer League and was one of the founding fathers of the current National Soccer League, which is the custodian of the premier league,” Langa said in an interview with Alex News.

Taunyane, an Alex-born former outstanding principal of Alexandra High School, was also a founding member of the National Soccer League’s predecessor, the National Professional Soccer League. He spent many years at the helm of both institutions until his passing on 30 October 2013 at age 85.

“He was such an articulate administrator par excellence and it will be befitting to rename the stadium after him, for his lifelong contribution to both football and the teaching fraternities, not just in Alex but beyond. We have thus called on the City to consider renaming the stadium after him in recognition of his outstanding work.”

Langa added that one of the projects of the association was to compile a book on the history of the country’s football. The game’s organised structures in black townships in the country started in Alexandra as early as 1935 when the Alexandra Football Association was formed.

“We have a history to tell as most of the iconic footballers and administrators came from this township, such as Screamer Tshabalala, Simon ‘Mbazo’ Selepe, Moss Selolo, Roger Dinga ‘RD’ Sishi and Dr Irvin ‘Iron Duke’ Khoza, to name but a few. We want the work of these and other icons of our township to be documented.”

Langa also acknowledged the partners of the association for the role they have played in the organisation thus far such as Alex businessman George Moyo, the Gauteng Department of Sport, Roman’s Pizza and the Freedom Supermarket.