By Chris Totobela
Local DJ and well-known event organiser Ivy Madyo and popular Umhlobo Wenene FM breakfast show co-presenter Mafa Bavuma have donated R10 000 to the Makana Local Football Association (LFA) as a way to give back to the local community.
The duo had their birthdays on Freedom Day – Sunday, 27 April.
To celebrate their birthdays, they worked with the LFA to organise a soccer tournament for Thursday, 1May.
Speaking to Grocott’s Mail, Madyo was excited about the event. “I played football for Mountain Shades and I also organise big events, one of which is staged at JD Dlepu. I felt the pain when people criticized me on Grocott’s Mail about destroying their football field, and I decided to do something for football. I always help with school shoes, uniform and houses, but this time I decided to plough back to the sport I used to play, which is followed by many people.”
Madyo confirmed that this is the first of many editions and the next edition might be bigger and better.
Bavuma, meanwhile, echoed similar sentiments. “We are from disadvantaged communities like Alicedale and Makhanda and we know the situation in these communities and that is why we used our popularity to the benefit of young people. We want young people to know that it doesn’t really matter how difficult your upbringing was. If you believe and work hard towards your dreams, anything is possible.
“We are also teaching them not to forget where they come from and that they must always come back and plough back. This tournament comes at the right time as our youth are dying from drugs and alcohol abuse.”
Bavuma called on the people of Makhanda to come in their numbers and support their young soccer stars.
Makana LFA chairman, Afika Adam, thanked the sponsors. “There was an article on Grocott’s Mail on 23 May 2023 titled ‘Makhanda football’s slow and painful death’, and in the same article, I asked the business people of Makhanda to sponsor our football and these two men listened and sponsored us. I really appreciate their sponsorship and this will help a lot of teams financially in their respective leagues.”
Makana LFA secretary Akhona Heshu said he was very happy about the cash injection. He went on to explain that the format of the tournament will be strictly knockout and will be for Makana LFA affiliates only.
