There is a need for a local Hall of Fame!

SEDIBENG.- Sometimes tear come out of my eyes and roll down on my cheeks. Looking back Sedibeng Ster formerly Vaal Vision/Vaal Weekly sports pages brought emotional attachment, it is how much impact this MooiVaal Media Newspaper managed to do to discover talented youngsters through pen and a paper long before they turned semi and professional.

One of this newspaper’s loyal reader, Paul Makhale took some the newspapers’ archives to social media when some of these athletes were still ‘wet behind their ears’ playing bare footed in the dusty sports fields of Sedibeng, little did they knew that one day they would be competing in the high-level sporting activities.

TOUCHLINE once suggested that this region must have its own Hall of Fame to parade or display all these heroes who have hoisted Vaal Triangle flag high nationally and international. There is a serious need for such a project to honour those who made us famous, academically, politically, sportingly and through entertainment. This region has a rich history, apart from the massacres that we commemorate every year to open our old wounds.

Sedibeng’s history or should I say Vaal Triangle’s history is not only about massacres but also about those men and women who hoisted this region’s flag high at the international stage. The current generation know little about our heritage because no one is willing to take a risk and initiate such an education project about our history.

TOUCHLINE is aware that at one stage the retired Emfuleni Local Municipality (ELM) Senior Control Sports Officer, Prof Sebeela was working on this Hall Of Fame project before he retired. I reflected back on those sports pages when Steve “Chippa” Steve Lekoekea, China Masondo carried Chappies Little League trophy, playing for the now the defunct Sebokeng Two For Joy FC.

They used to grace our sports pages at a young age before they were spotted by football institutions such as SAFA Transnet School Of Excellence and Moroaka Swallows and later Orlando Pirates. The likes of former Bafana Bafana dreadlocked midfielder Augustine “Mthakathi” Makalakalane used to grace our newspapers’ back pages playing for the now defunct Vaal Professional as a top goal scorer for a club in OK League.

When Makalakalane returned from overseas I went looking for him in Zone 7 because he was staying there before he returned to Sharpeville. I was still young and new in the newsroom, and I was the first to interview him and he asked to take picture with some boys who came from school. Not long ago I reminded him about this.

Former Bafana Bafana Captain Aaron “Mbazo” Mokoena, was one of the players that graced the back pages of our newspaper before he played professional football. He was playing for Jomo Cosmos u/17 when I wrote article about him that he is the next Lucas Radebe and that happened exactly as TOUCHLINE predicted when he became Bafana Bafana captain.

TOUCHLINE also predicted the future of Thabo Rakhale while still an amateur playing for Junior Lions. TOUCHLINE spotted this young skilful player with a pen and paper at the Boipatong Stadium, it was Aaron Mokoena’s Tournament and he was named player of the tournament. Abia Nale was another player who graced our newspapers back pages at the age of 12 playing for Milton before he went to Orlando Pirates development.

In fact, the list is endless with those who graced our headline long before they turned professional football.

There is a need for the Hall of Fame!