Alex’s Map Games in line for major Gauteng Sports Award
ALEXANDRA -– The Map Games in Alexandra are in line for a major award from the Gauteng Sports Awards later this month.
The Maimane Alexandra Development Foundation, which has been in the forefront of football development in the township for the past 19 years, is on the verge of recognition for the sterling job it has done in the upliftment of the beautiful game.
The foundation was founded by Alex football icon Maimane Alfred Phiri who played for the likes of Jomo Cosmos, Ajax Cape Town, Moroka Swallows, SuperSport United and was a midfield maestro for Bafana Bafana. He runs and organises the Maimane Alfred Phiri (Map) Games which have been on the annual sporting calendar of football since 2001.
The foundation has been nominated for the Best Sports Programme of the Year in the prestigious Gauteng Sports Awards which are scheduled to take place at the Sandton Convention Centre on 29 September.
The foundation will be up against two other finalists in the category for the coveted prize of R15 000 for the winner, while each of the finalists in the various categories will take home R10 000 for just being a finalist.
Commenting to Alex News on being named one of the three finalists, Phiri, who also played for Turkish teams Gençlerbirligi, Samsunspor and Vanspor and once owned and coached his own team FC Alexandra in the ABC Motsepe League, said though not expected to be nominated, he was over the moon.
“Over the years, Alex has become famous for the wrong reasons and if we can all do our bit to try and cleanse the image of this once vibrant township that is considered the ‘mother of all townships’, I am sure we can go a long way towards changing people’s perceptions about this place,” he said.
If he bags the award, Phiri was quick to say he would dedicate it to the community of Alexandra that has made him the man he is, the footballer he was and the social entrepreneur, and community builder he has become, and above all, the community that has supported his Map Games year-in and year-out since its inception 19 years ago.
“I will also dedicate this award to members of my LOC, their families, Alex News that has been with us since day one and other media that have supported us, the coaches, players and club owners,” added the football icon who admires Alex’s foremost philanthropist Linda Twala.
“Twala is my role model. I want to see myself one day in his league in terms of service to the community of Alexandra. Twala is so old now but he has not relented, and I take my hat off to him.”
When he hosts the final of the soccer spectacle of the Map Games that has become known as the ‘World Cup of Alex’, Phiri charges a nominal entry fee to the stadium that he uses to buy food parcels for the less privileged. He also uses the proceeds to organise annual games for the children of Nokuthula Special School in Lyndhurst who are physically challenged.
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