Zitikeni bags R50 000 cheque in KTVR soccer tournament

The u-17 soccer team from Zitikeni Secondary School were crowned as KTVR Bus Service Harambee BRT Soccer Tournament champions and received a cheque for R50 000, a trophy and gold medals on October 19.

The inaugural one-day secondary school soccer tournament from KTVR Bus Service in Ekurhuleni took place at Mehlareng Stadium.

Only four secondary schools participated in this tournament.

Zitikeni beat its rival Tembisa High School 4-3 on penalties at the end of the game during the finals.

To have made it to the finals, Zitikeni walloped Phomolong Secondary School 7-2 while Tembisa High beat Tembisa West Secondary School 4-2 on penalties.

All participating teams received a new soccer kit branded with Harambee BRT and KTVR Bus Service.

The runners-up were awarded silver medals.

Present were MMC for Transport Planning Provision Clr Petrus Mabunda, Tembisa Local Taxi Association (TELTA), Lethabong, Kempton Park Taxi Association (KETA) and Johannesburg Tembisa Taxi Association (JTTA), chairperson of Santaco in Ekurhuleni Peter Mashego, chairperson of KTVR Kenneth Mandlakhe, school officials, Skeem Saam actor Gift Mokhampanyane, among others.

Speaking to the public relations director of KTVR, Johannes Mahlangu, they aim to promote sport in schools through KTVR’s cooperate social investment (CSI) project to ensure the company benefits the communities they operate in within the City of Ekurhuleni (CoE).

“We are in partnership with the CoE to bring the Harambee service, which is operated by KTVR, to the community. KTVR is a company formed by taxi operators predominantly from the CoE,” said Mahlangu.

Mahlangu added they’ve signed a memorandum of agreement with the Tembisa Schools Football Association to ensure they support this initiative for the next three years.

“We are aiming for the tournament to expand and accommodate 22 secondary schools and girl players, to make sure that this sport is not only for boys. As we go forward, there’s a league going to be played and maybe we will have about five winners to take home great prizes at the end of the year. And out of the winners, the top four will compete for another prize like this of today,” explained Mahlangu.

Mahlangu said the criteria used to select the four schools that took part in the tournament were that they should be located along the current route of their Harambee BRT starter service in the area.

“I am actually over the moon because the tournament was a success and the schools responded positively and showed their dedication to the tournament. The learners, including the players, proved to want more of this tournament when they couldn’t contain their excitement,” added Mahlangu.

Mahlangu said the Tembisa learners should focus on their education and when opportunities such as this avail they should also take part to expose their talent.

Meanwhile, Mabunda said: “We are here to celebrate the 2005 legacy left by former Minister of Transport Jeff Radebe when he launched Transport Month celebrated in October. As part of that, KTVR as an operating agent in the CoE has convened this particular activity in a sort of sport competition to continue honouring Transport Month.”

Mabunda added the tournament went well and surpassed his expectations.

“I strongly believe the tournament should not only be a soccer competition. It should include other sporting activities so that all school children, irrespective of whether they are boys or girls, should appreciate the way KTVR operates the bus system and ultimately transport in the city.

“The winning team was the best since they did well from the start. I appreciate the support from parents and teachers. I saw how excited they were when their children were playing and that inspired us. This tournament proved there is teamwork in Tembisa,” said Mabunda.

Zitikeni principal Tsatsi Mabuya said he was extremely excited about the learners’ achievement.

“They made us proud and proved that we are soccer giants in the Tembisa schools. We are happy for them,” he added.

When asked about any plans on how they will spend the money, Mabuya said members of the School Governing Body (SGB) and school officials will sit down and see how they can utilise the money in order to benefit the school.