Uniting South Africa through sport

Although South Africa is rich in sporting talent, much of it goes undiscovered because it is hidden away in underdeveloped, far-flung areas and communities. Fortunately, our company does not shy away from these areas, but rather focuses on them and provide real opportunities to youth who fall outside the target areas of traditional sporting bodies. Through our Sport Development Programme, we can identify and develop young sports talent across the country and nurture it to excellence. 

Sport has inherent attributes that foster positive traits and values; the key to any nation with the potential to prosper. Sport has the power to inspire people – whether watching an elite athlete excel after years of relentless training, witnessing a disabled athlete complete in an Ironman triathlon, or seeing a weekend warrior push themselves beyond their usual limits to complete a marathon. This is why as an organisation, we aim to use the unifying and positive benefits of sport to shape the youth of South Africa. “I strongly believe that Transnet has continued to play a prominent role in assisting government in advancing the interest of sports in our nation. We have witnessed how the Springboks recently united the nation by winning the world cup for the third time, and we hope to contribute to uplifting soccer to that level,” says Theresa Moila, Senior Manager: Education & Sport. 

Currently, our Sport Development Programme focuses on soccer for boys and girls in order to increase the footprint of the programme and allow schools from numerous districts to participate. The programme has enabled 2 500 learners across nine provinces to participate and gain access to coaching. Learners who show potential are selected to represent their province at the National Sport Tournament. Linda Buthelezi asserts that: “Sports has the power to create an emotional connection that few other activities can. It is heart-warming to witness the sight of complete strangers cheering in a stadium bound by one voice, one heart, one goal – wishing the best for their team, or their nation.” 

This year, the tournament will be hosted at the University of the Free State in December. The Sport Development Programme demands disciplined participation from learners, thereby leading to improved interest in and dedication to academic programmes.

 Support from special stars

Two years ago, we brought three soccer legends on board to implement and enhance the Sport Development Programme. Soccer legends Fani Madida, Linda Buthelezi, and Simon Ngomane offer their diverse skillsets to increase the programme’s value for both the company and its target beneficiaries. According to Simon Ngomane, sport has the power to galvanise individuals and communities. “Active participation in sports leads to more robust and resilient youth. The company’s vision to broaden the offerings within sport will enable young people to follow careers as professional sportsmen and women,” he says.

Local examples of sporting successes are far and wide, catapulting families and communities to better standards of living and lessening their reliance on government. Through sport development, the Transnet Foundation seeks to honour the sporting human spirit, contribute to sports development as a whole, and further expand our efforts to promote sporting excellence among students and create healthy competition among players.

 Fani Madida sums it up by saying: “Sport contributes to people’s love of life and teaches sacrifice, respect and responsibility.” While good behaviour stems from such high values, participating in sport will also instil a love of our country and will ultimately contribute towards nation-building.