Newly found sports events organization, Juluka 11 Foundation, aims to do more for the local community than just organize sports events, according to founder Lucky ‘Juluka’ Mahlangu. The organization was set to host its first-ever event during the Easter weekend, between April 10 and 13, only for it to be thwarted by the national lockdown that was announced by president Cyril Ramaphosa on March 26, in response to the coronavirus outbreak in the country.
Mahlangu says he and his team had planned to host eight football teams from around Ekurhuleni in a four-day knockout tournament in Kwa-Thema, with the winners set to bag R10 000, while a further R7 000 would be shared among the second and third-best teams. The tournament was set to be hosted at the Tlakula High School Ground, which Mahlangu says was so as to ensure that the history of the venue is not forgotten.
“There is this problem that (football) tournaments in Kwa-Thema are only played at the Sports Complex. So I want to bring back the idea of Tlakula Ground. Tlakula is a legacy ground which has produced the likes of Skheshe Mkhonza, Innocent Mayoyo, Teenage Dladla and Sputla Nhlapho, around Kwa-Thema - legends. So, everybody who has played football in Kwa-Thema comes from Tlakula Ground, [but] Tlakula is not being used anymore, it’s only used for the Tsamaya Games, you see?”
Mahlangu says the organization has since gone back to the drawing board, and that the next long weekend – that of August 8th, 9th and 10th – is now being mooted to be the possible revised dates for the tournament, although nothing has been confirmed as yet.
“The plan for now is that we’ll sit as the committee after the lockdown to talk about it and look at a possible date which will be on a long weekend. But there isn’t going to be a 4-day long weekend from now on, there will be that of three days. So, for now, although not confirmed, we’re looking at having the tournament maybe in August. But we will only confirm that after the lockdown.”
The former coach of the RDP Masters, who are the current Tsamaya Masters League champions, also says that over and above hosting sports events, the foundation also plans to do charity work around Kwa-Thema, which is his birthplace.
“I want the foundation to grow, so that even when the games end, we are able to donate at places like Old Age Homes and disadvantaged schools such as Phelang. I was actually planning to donate blankets and food parcels at the Kwa-Thema Old Age Home since we are going into winter, so the lockdown has hurt us badly. But everything will be okay after lockdown; I’m prepared to plough back to the community of Kwa-Thema.”
Mahlangu has also heaped praise on his former team in the Tsamaya League, which he says he is planning on returning to soon, after they started the 2020 season on a high note by winning the season-opening Super 8 tournament.
“RDP is a brand, RDP is too big, they have very good players. We produce very good players all the time, RDP is a top side.”
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