Eric Nxumalo High School, from the Bohlabela Region, has been awarded the R100 000 Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup provincial winners prize money, after East High was stripped of their provincial title due to fielding an ineligible player in the national finals.
“We will not tolerate dishonesty in our tournaments,” said Mandla ‘Shoes’ Mazibuko, the South African Schools Football Association (SASFA) President. “Not only has East High been stripped of their winnings, but the school has been banned from playing in any of our tournaments for the next five years. We want to send a strong warning to all schools that participate in SASFA tournaments.”
Eric Nxumalo finally finished ninth overall in the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup, the richest football tournament in Africa, after beating Freedom Park High (North West) in the ninth/tenth place playoff at the national finals that took place in Durban recently.
According to Eric Nxumalo coach, Canon Simango, the school is still to decide how they will use the prize money, but says playing in the national finals of a major tournament for the first time was a big learning experience for him and the players. “The biggest lesson was that team-work is what wins games. I have been trying to instil this into the boys since the start of the season, and seeing how the academy boys played endorsed this,” he said. “Our weakest point was that the boys did not play as a team. They wanted to impress the scouts, so they played individually which cost us dearly.”
“Our best games were the last two, where the boys started playing as a unity, but by then it was too late.” He said.
