Shoes makes Springs proud
Mandla Shoes Mazibuko got a special merit award from the MMC on Friday.
The Sharon Park resident could not believe it when the MMC for sport, heritage, recreation, arts and culture Zeni Tshongweni, announced his name as the recipient of the special award. Shoes is married and is a father to three daughters and three sons.
His serious involvement in soccer started back during his days as a teacher and he has demonstrated quality leadership skills through the experiences that he has gained in over 20 years in football administration.
Shoes says being a son of the Brakpan Rangers’ Club owner, he never thought that one day he would also be involved in soccer.
He says his love for soccer started during his primary school days after he was forced by his teacher to play soccer.
Shoes played for different amateur teams and at the age of 19 he went to the Mamelodi Sundowns’ trials. He never stopped believing in himself but pushed even harder to fulfill his dream of being one of the respected individuals in soccer.
The former SAFA vice president has been instrumental in school sport and has, over the years, been in the heart of school’s football.
Between 1992 and 2007 he serviced different sponsorship accounts including U/17 KFC Cup, Danone Nations Cup and metropolitan SASFA U/16 Cup, just to mention a few.
Under his leadership USSASA Football was entered into the Guiness Book of World Records in 2003 for the Chappies Little League as the biggest tournament in the world.
He is the former manager of the SAFA/Transnet Sport School of Excellence which has participated in the International School Sport Federation (ISF) no less than three times under his guidance.
The other teams that he has guided to the ISF are Klaas Mithapo High School, Kgorathuto High and Rosina Sedibane. Shoes has served as chairman of SAFA Youth and Development Affairs as well as SAFA Competitions Committee.
Receiving his award, Shoes challenged the young people to form teams in the areas where they live and then knock on the relevant doors to ask for assistance.
He said one of his dreams is to see Ekurhuleni having a soccer team that will play on a professional level. “I work hard to ensure that soccer never dies for as long as I am still alive,” concluded Shoes.
