Selati Cup faces a bleak future
The future of Mpumalanga's only amateur soccer tournament, the annual Selati Cup, looks bleak.
This is as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, which has already claimed the lives of over 1 500 people in this province alone.
The pandemic has already killed 60 people within the Nkomazi Local Municipality, where this historic soccer tournament is being held. Established in 2005, just shortly after the country was announced as the 2010 Soccer World Cup hosts, this tournament, proudly sponsored by RCL Foods, has over the years brought local communities nothing but excitement both on and off the field.
Endorsed by the South African Football Association, the Selati Cup has also produced football stars who represented not only the Nkomazi subregion, but the entire province.
Notable players produced by the tournament include the former Orlando Pirates left winger, Lucas Twala, former Platinum Stars’ Innocent Mkhabela, SuperSport United’s Mpho Mbebe, Jabulani Dladla, Ludick Mkhatshwa and Velile Zitha. “The Selati Cup was so popular here in Nkomazi. Even our mothers, who knew nothing about football, knew there was a Selati Cup that kept the entire subregion together as one force.
The tournament was our only source of entertainment,” said one of the tournament’s ardent supporters, Mduduzi Ngomane. “We really need this tournament back after this Covid-19 crisis, because it is a known fact that this subregion is really nothing without it. I mean, the tournament was not just about the game of football; there were many families who were able to bring food to the table just by selling to patrons during the games,” he added.
Mpumalanga News has received numerous calls from soccer fanatics enquiring about this tournament.
ALSO READ: Much-loved White River vet retires after 41 years
“As we all know, all amateur soccer activities in the country were put on hold by our government due to the pandemic. This is the only reason why we are not hosting the Selati Cup. We are aware of the impact the tournament has on the people of Nkomazi and surroundings, and there is no way we would just stop hosting it. The Selati Cup is not going anywhere,” assured Kenneth Phiri, a local organising committee member for the tournament.
