Ex-Banyana Banyana star donates soccer jerseys
“As former footballers we need to assist these young kids to get back to the game and produce superstars who will in future represent our country,” says former Banyana Banyana star Khabo Zitha.
Three Mamelodi ladies and two football clubs received a donation of a full kit plus balls on Friday from a local charity.
Former Banyana Banyana top goal scorer Khabo Zitha, founder of Khabo Zitha Eleven foundation donated the kits with the help of Azania TV productions company.
The kits were originally donated by Disky Sport, former Orlando Pirates defender Lucky Lekgwathi and the rest bought using proceeds from “our three-part series movie Soccer season”, said Prudence Thabethe of Azania adding that the objective was to give back to her home town.
“We approached Khabo Zitha foundation because of the work they are doing in the community in terms of soccer to help in identifying soccer teams that desperately need soccer kits.”
She said the foundation identified five teams including Thabethe’s own, Mamelodi Eleven Stars Ladies in the local regional league.
Zitha said her foundation aims to uplift and develop young stars.
“The donations will lift soccer in Mamelodi especially for girls teams.”
She said the teams were from different informal settlements in Mamelodi East that desperately needed soccer equipment.
“My passion for soccer drives me to see these kids keep on participating in any sport to avoid drugs, teenage pregnancy and other criminal’s activities, that they might be involved in.
“The foundation collaborated with a lot of stakeholders and I am glad that Azania TV production decided to come on board and help me give back to the community of Mamelodi by donating soccer kits to teams that desperately needed donations,” said Zitha.
“As former footballers we need to assist these young kids to get back to the game and produce superstars who will in future represent our country.
She said that in future they will get sponsors that will assist them to do more in the community.
Moses Makitla of one of the beneficiary clubs, Makitla, said they were grateful for the kit donated to the girls.
“We have a lot of challenges in our team that is why we want to remove girls from the streets by keeping them busy playing soccer,” said Makitla.
“They are exposed to drugs, crime and teenage pregnancy and the soccer team will help keep them busy.”
Zitha said her foundation also donates food parcels to the needy and her dream was to grow the foundation into a football academy that will benefit both young boys and girls.
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