A local coach from Khutsong is setting the standard for local football at national level, as he is part of an annual national soccer tournament. The tournament took place over two consecutive days, from 4–5 April, in Roodepoort at the Florida Albion Football Grounds, where all nine provinces participated in the Under-15 Technical Development System (TDS). The initiative focuses on selecting the Under-17 national team for 2027.

According to the coach, Mr Hloni Majeje Kharejane, most of the players were from the Gauteng Development Team. There were also three top teams — Chiefs, Sundowns and Future of Africa Under-16 — consisting of players born in 2010 and 2011, who all competed for a place in the national team.

He explained that the tournament started with group stages, consisting of four groups. In each group, the top two teams qualified, along with the two best third-placed teams.

As Gauteng, they played against KwaZulu-Natal and won 2–1. They then played against Mpumalanga and also won 2–1. Their last group match was against Kaizer Chiefs, which ended in a draw.

In the quarter-finals, they played against Future of Africa and lost 3–1. In the final, Siwelele played against Chiefs, with Chiefs winning 2–0.

“The main aim was to select players who will report for camp around June during the school holidays,” he said.

Another selection process will take place around September, where players who perform exceptionally will be chosen to be part of the team that will travel to Morocco after the camp.

The coach further mentioned that this is a yearly programme where players progress from local teams to regional, provincial, and ultimately the national team. He has been part of the programme for three years.

“I am part of the Gauteng Technical Team that participates in selecting the best players each year,” he added.

He also highlighted that in 2024, two players from Merafong — both from Fochville — were part of the Gauteng team and were contracted to the national team known as SuperSport, now called Siwelele. In 2025, another player from Fochville was contracted by Kaizer Chiefs through the TDS programme. That player was selected for the national Under-17 team and went on to play in the Qatar World Cup.

“For me, this is very motivating and pushes me to work harder to produce more quality players from Merafong who will be recognised globally,” he concluded.