Patrice Motsepe, the chair of the Motsepe Foundation and president of the Confederation of African Football, recently announced an increase in the foundation’s donation to South Africa’s basic education department and school sports growth to R150m. Motsepe believes that if South Africa allocates the necessary resources and focuses on school football, the country’s football will improve and become one of the best in the world.
“Imagine if Bafana Bafana were in the semifinal of the World Cup? But this thing takes time,” Motsepe told the media after the conference in Sandton yesterday.
The Motsepe Foundation has remained committed to investing in the education, development, and growth of youth in football, music, netball, and other sports since 2016, when it donated R70m over seven years.
Motsepe pointed out that rugby in South Africa has invested heavily in school rugby, and that’s why the country has won the World Cup three times against some of the best nations in the world. He believes that the same focus and investment in school football will yield similar results.
The Kay Motsepe Schools Cup will continue to focus on High School Boys’ football, with thousands of schools competing to be among the final 18 that end up at the national play-off style finals and be crowned the best footballing school in the country. The foundation has also introduced new football competitions for primary school boys and girls and high school girls.
Motsepe says that the R150m donation is their duty. He went on to explain how immensely blessed they were and that his father taught him to give back. He also acknowledges that many poor people, especially grandparents, make donations to other families in need and how that assistance has a huge impact on their lives.