Rufus talks of early days and the heyday of Vhembe soccer
The name Rufus Kharidzha will always be part of the history of the administration of soccer in the Vhembe area.
LIMPOPO – Kharidzha was elected as deputy president of the Shitlelani Football Club in 1978. He was the founder of Malamulele Football Association in 1980 and the secretary of Mission Young Rovers Football Club and Vuwani Football Association sub-zone.In 1981, he was appointed as chairperson of the Kings Brew League of the Great North Far North Zone of the Transvaal Football Association.
From 1982 to 1984, he was the chairperson of the Great North Far North Zone of The Transvaal Football Association. In 1985, he was a founder member of the Transvaal Soccer Association that later formed the South African Soccer Association after the historic soccer split/breakaway from the South African National Football Association. From 1985 to 1990, he was the chairperson of the Venda and District Soccer Association after the demise of the Great North Far North Zone. He said that his association was supported by the Department of Education and they had organised the training of local referees.
After the training of referees, they were accredited to officiate at professional soccer league games.”Our league administration was poor. We then introduced the league management system and appointed volunteer league managers.”This improved the reporting and capturing of league results and thereby gave credibility to our service. League managers were using their own equipment to do their work. The voluntary league capturing gave credibility to our service. League managers were using their own equipment to do their work.
When the voluntary league management system was starting to experience some strain, we organised offices and hired a league manager, Ronald Makhadi. He was the secretary of the zonal structure at that time.”Makhadi was assisted by Elvis Booi. The staff had effective equipment to receive and capture results and administer all matters related to the zone and leagues, he said.”During our tenure, we nurtured and promoted what we today know as Black Leopards, from zonal status to National Professional Soccer League status at that time.
At the start of the soccer split, Leopards remained with the Professional Soccer League.”He said that the late soccer administrator, Solomon ‘Sticks’ Morena, was always impressed with the local organisational efficiency and effectiveness. “We used to have off-season friendly matches with teams from the top national league. This exposed our players to scouts and, as a result, some of our local players attracted the attention of the top clubs.”He said that he agreed with the Minister of Sport, Nathi Mthetwha, that “if we are to develop sport to the best of our children’s God-given talents, we should not only rely on community efforts but ensure that we have viable and sustainable school sports programmes. Have a healthy mind, in a healthy body.”
