With Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie declaring his intention to revive school sport, Net Nine Nine (Net99), South Africa’s fastest growing fibre internet company, has been proactively leading the way.
Net99 has invested a substantial amount of money in ensuring that school sport, which has completely died in township schools, is revived through the annual Diski99 Tournament, which took place at the famous Zuka Baloyi Stadium in Thabong, Welkom yesterday.
In his budget speech in July, McKenzie allocated R627-million through the conditional grant to support, among many things, equipment and attire for schools, clubs and hubs, the training of people through coaching, technical officiating and administration courses.
Net99, through its strict selection of teams to participate in the tournament, nominated 16 schools from Thabong and Welkom, to compete for top honours in a one-day championship.
When McKenzie made the promise to the nation that he will revive school sport, little did he know that the fibre internet company was equipped to turn that
into reality. And yesterday, the who’s who of Free State provincial government and Gauteng sport enthusiasts converged in Thabong to witness raw emerging talent being nurtured to advance sports in the sleepy town of “happiness”.
This has resulted in the Free State Department of Sport, Arts and Culture finalising a strengthened partnership with Net99 for the third edition of the Diski99 Tournament.
The collaboration reinforces a shared commitment to expand grassroots football, driving youth development, and building sustainable sporting pathways across the province.
The renewed partnership follows a strategic meeting between the MEC for Sport, Arts and Culture, Ntombizanele Sifuba, senior departmental directors Vincent Khetha and Kutlwano Tlhakudi, and the Net99 group.
The engagement has set the tone for a broader, more impactful tournament designed to reach more communities and amplify opportunities for young athletes in the area.
Head of department Molato Tshabalala expanded on the dreams and wishes of many to see school sport revived.
“We welcome this continued collaboration with Net99. Through the Diski99 platform, we are able to provide young people with meaningful opportunities to showcase their abilities, while promoting values of teamwork, excellence, and resilience.
“The Diski99 tournament advances our vision of a vibrant, inclusive sporting culture in the Free State,” said Tshabalala who attended yesterday’s event.
