Real Hearts FC’s achievements helps it to grow

Soweto Premier League affiliates, Real Hearts FC is one of the most recognised outfits in Soweto having won major honours in its nine years of existence.

The club was founded in 2003 by the late Local Football Association chairman, Thamsanqa Colossa seeking to keep children away from substance abuse and loitering.

Real Hearts was originally intended for boys under the age of 12, 14 and 15 as Colossa worked together with the community to affiliate in the SAFA-Soweto LFA league.

Within a few years, the club grew to have five divisions in the U9,U11,U13,U15 and U17 in 2005 and then in 2007 the team registered a senior side in the SAFA-Soweto League for the first time since its inception.

In June 2012, Hearts was rocked by tragedy as Colossa passed away after a short illness.

His assistant, Godfrey Mpfuni, a former player and long-term assistant then took over the day to day running of the club with a helping hand from the community. Among the team’s achievements include the C2C U12 and U 14 League champions in 2004, in 2005 they became league champions and won the Milo Cup with the U11 and U15. The team went on to win the Phillips Cup and the league in 2008 and won the Clinix Stix Morewa tournament the following year. In 2010 Hearts got third place in the SAB playoffs, won the Chief Albert Luthuli Games and the Phillips cup before winning the Putco Cup and the league in 2011 and 2012 respectively.

The team’s focus for this year according to one of the team members, Fhatuwani Mpfuni is to win the league with the senior team and gain promotion to the SAB League.