By Levy Masiteng
The Kay Motsepe Schools Championship concluded its 2025 football tournament at the Giant Stadium in Soshanguve over the weekend, with three teams walking away with R5 million that included cash and infrastructure upgrades.
The tournament is a premier annual event that brings together over 13,000 school teams from across South Africa to compete in various sports, and is sponsored by Sanlam in partnership with the Motsepe Foundation.
“This initiative aims to empower young athletes by providing a platform to showcase their talents and develop essential life skills,” the Sanlam Group said in a post.
The St. Marks Academy from Mpumalanga in the Under-19 Boys category defeated Fumana Under-19 Boys from Gauteng 1-0.
The Academy took home a trophy and R3 million in prizes and infrastructure upgrades.
Lungile Mokone, the coach of St. Marks Academy, told the media that the win was for Mpumalanga.
“It was a hard-fought final. Thanks to the boys for their efforts. I’m happy and proud of my players. This is for you, Mpumalanga.”
In the Under-13 Boys category, Queenswood Laerskool from Gauteng crushed Madika Under-13 Boys from Limpopo 5-0, winning R1 million worth of prizes and upgrades in the process.
In the Under-13 Girls category St. Anne Primary School from Free State won 5-4 on penalties after a 1-1 draw at full-time, and took home R1 million in prizes and upgrades for their efforts.
“This is a great day for me, the players, and the people of Free State. I have been coaching the team for the past four months, and I’m still learning about them,” said Kadi Monyane, coach of St. Anne Primary School.
The Kay Motsepe Schools Championship said they have consistently produced top football talent, and this year’s event was no exception.
The head of Sanlam, Nkazimulo Sokhulu, said: “We continue to invest in young people. We believe sports open up a number of avenues and opportunities for young people.”
Bongani Zondi, Deputy Director of Sports and Enrichment at the Department of Basic Education, emphasised the importance of sports in academic success.
“Sports instils values such as discipline, teamwork, social cohesion, and timekeeping, which contribute to academic success,” he stated.
The Motsepe foundation said that the prize money won by the schools will be used to improve their football facilities and benefit their communities.
INSIDE EDUCATION
