SOUTH Africa’s top township football tournaments will mark a milestone this week as they timeously return with the topflight league in recess for the festive period.
While all attention has been on the newly-launched and much-talked about DStv Compact Cup for the premier league, preparations for the KwaMahlobo Games and the Philly’s Games have gathered momentum.
Both amateur tournaments will be returning for a 30th edition.
The 24th KwaMahlobo Games will kick off on Thursday (December 23) and run until January 9.
Winners are to pocket R120 000. A record 40 teams will participate.
“We are ready. Let the games begin,” said Patrick Dlongolo Ntenjwa, tournament manager and co-founder, in an interview with CAJ News Africa.
The games will be played at the usual venue, KwaMahlobo Grounds in Meadowlands Zone 10 in Soweto, west of Johannesburg.
However, because of the ongoing lockdown to curb the coronavirus scourge, fans would not be allowed into the venue.
This would be a major blow for fans starved of live football at matches after the country went into lockdown early last year.
Vendors have also cashed in on previous tournaments.
The games were not held last year because of the outbreak of the COVID-19.
The 30th edition of the Philly’s Games meanwhile starts on Monday (tomorrow).
The games will be held until January 3.
Matches will be played at Esiqongweni, Etafuleni, Makhulong, Mehlareng and Rabie Ridge, all east of Johannesburg.
Fans will not be allowed into the venues.
– CAJ News