Betway Premiership log leaders Orlando Pirates took some time off their FIFA international break to give back to the Diepkloof community in Soweto on Wednesday afternoon.
The Buccaneers, alongside the Premier Soccer League and MTN, handed over the MTN8 Goals for Charity donation to the non-profit organisation, the Zodwa Khoza Foundation.
‘Contribute meaningfully to the community’
“It’s a proud day for us as an organisation [MTN], because we believe that everybody deserves the benefits of a modern, connected life,” said Maqhawe Dlamini, General Manager for MTN in the Gauteng, Johannesburg Region.
“So, it’s in days like these, when we come back and deliberately contribute meaningfully to the community that we operate within. So, the four-peat MTN8 champions, Orlando Pirates, have chosen the Zodwa Khoza Foundation as a beneficiary of the MTN8 Goals for Charity.
“This is their way of ploughing back, making meaningful change through education, through sports, and giving back to vulnerable community members.”
Pirates are the first PSL club to lift the MTN8 four times in a row
Pirates made history early in the season, becoming the first club in the PSL era to lift the MTN8 four times in a row.
Through the Zodwa Khoza Foundation, the Buccaneers donated goods in excess of R80,000, including laptops, gas stoves and several other products.
Pirates defenders Tapelo Xoki, Thabiso Sesane and Thabiso Lebitso, midfielders Simphiwe Selepe and Camren Dansin, and striker Boitumelo Radiopane were at the handover event.
‘This is the only way we can pay back’
“It is very critical to give back to the community because the club aspires to inspire the next generation, so these kinds of initiatives help in terms of uplifting the communities that are involved,” Xoki said.
“The equipment that you saw [laptops] will help uplift the young people who are here. So, winning the MTN8 is a big factor for us because we can see how the hard work we do on the field affects people and communities.
“And for us as players, this is the only way we can pay back, by winning these tournaments to give back to the community. As a result, for us, it’s a huge motivating factor. So, we hope to keep on going because we’re still a hungry group and there’s still a lot more to achieve,” he added.
