Thato – from rags to a posh life
His two-year diploma in sport management secured him full-time employment at the club.
Thato Mashigo is a loving man, an ordinary “outie yaseKasi” who loves people.
Thato was raised in a small shack in Phomolong, where he faced and endured poverty on daily basis.
He went to ePontshe Primary School and completed high school at Jiyane Secondary School.
This 28 year old refused to let his situation determine his future and today Thato works for an influential teams in South African football.
This father of two has a responsibility of making sure that every player at Mamelodi Sundowns is well looked after.
Mr Mashigo is an assistant kit manager for The Brazilians’ boys.
Thato said he was not much of a soccer star while growing up but he always loved soccer as a young boy.
He started off at Sundowns as a 12-year-old, helping out by fetching stray balls.
“Those were hard times. I had to travel long distances to and from school as my parents could not afford to give me taxi fare,” he said.
He would get tips as a ball-boy and would use that money for lunch at school.
“When I finished my grade 12, the team’s goalkeeper coach, Alex Heredia, told me about a course I could do. He said he can see I love soccer and grew up with the sport. He said I should study sport management,” said Thato.
That advice saw him enrolling for the course at Boston College.
His two-year diploma in sport management secured him full-time employment at the club.
“Soccer nowadays is a business and it is run like one. I am part of the staff that supports the technical team to make it possible for them to produce favourable results,” said Thato.
He said studying taught him how to run a team professionally and how to deal with the logistics.
“We can’t all be on the field but if you love soccer, you can still make a career in football off the field,” he said.
Thato is proud to have been able to do away with the shack he used to call home and built what some would call a luxurious property.
He conquered the chains of poverty.
He advised youngsters to work hard.
“I would encourage them to abstain from doing drugs and crime. They must study, studying is worth it,” he said.
Thato doesn’t see himself working for any other team but Sundowns.
“But if I get the call to a national team, I will do my bit to serve the country,” he said.
