Special sports day for Madiba
SANDOWN - SPORTS lovers can look forward to a historic occasion at Soccer City in Soweto on 17 August where they can celebrate a South African icon.
![The boys in the photograph... Springboks Pierre Spies, Chilliboy Ralepelle, JP Pietersen and Siya Kolisi at the Nelson Mandela Sports and Culture Day launch. (Photo courtesy of Pierre Spies)](https://sandtonchronicle.co.za/wp-content/uploads/sites/33/2013/07/kb27sports1_525884212-423x317.jpg)
The Sandton Convention Centre saw the official announcement of the Nelson Mandela Sports and Culture Day during The New Age’s Business Briefing, an event which will see Bafana Bafana and the Springboks play at the same venue a few hours apart. The national soccer team will take on Burkina Faso in an international friendly match while the rugby side will open its Rugby Championship campaign against Argentina a few hours later.
Heavyweights from all sectors of society, including some members of the Springboks and Bafana Bafana, were in attendance for the announcement, with Minister of Sport Fikile Mbalula leading proceedings.
“Everything is possible under the sun, with the idea having been conceptualised earlier in the year,” said Mbalula.
“The money raised from the event will be donated to the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund in honour of the great man. South Africans must celebrate Madiba’s life well-lived, especially the legendary magic he shared with Bafana and the Bokke as the first democratically elected president of South Africa. This is the perfect way to do so.”
A music concert will take place after the matches, with R&B singing great Beyoncé Knowles rumoured to be on the list of singers set to perform.