Dikgosi unite in support of Bafana Bafana

31 March 2010

Traditional leaders from across the North West province threw their weight behind the national team in the run-up to the soccer World Cup by signing the Bafana-Bafana jersey during the Provincial Summit on Traditional Leadership held in Mahikeng recently.

Leaders who signed the jersey included North West MEC for Local Government and Traditional Affairs, Mothibedi Kegakilwe, Chairperson of the North West House of Traditional Leaders Kgosi Mushi Mabe and his Deputy Kgosi Tshepo Mankuroane.

Kegakilwe committed the provincial government to supporting the national team and commended the provincial organisers for making the World Cup a proudly African experience. He urged Dikgosi to showcase Africa’s ubuntu by welcoming visitors into their land. “By so doing, we will honour the legacy of our historical giants including former President Nelson Mandela. We have to set an example by hosting the best World Cup ever because we do not know when this tournament will return to the African continent,” he said.

Handing over the signed jersey to provincial coordinator of the World Cup Organising Committee Kennedy Mosiapoa, Kgosi Mabe was reminiscent of the journey the country had travelled in preparing to host the event.
“Ke Nako, a time we never envisaged would arrive this soon. As traditional leaders in the province, we are proud of the efforts by the Organising Committee and rally behind the Bafokeng tribe as one of the hosts for the 2010 FIFA World Cup,” Kgosi Mabe said.

“We are all excitedly waiting in anticipation to be part of history and eager to tell generations to come of the time we welcomed the world onto our shores as the first to host the World Cup on the African continent,” he continued.

Accepting the signed jersey, Mosiapoa thanked the Royal Bafokeng and Bakgatla ba Pilane for working closely with the committee to ensure the North West hosts a successful event. “The World Cup has fast-tracked a number of infrastructure developments across the country within a period of four years. Even communities outside Royal Bafokeng will benefit from the infrastructure long after the World Cup,” he said.

The jersey will be handed over to the South African Football Association (SAFA) upon Bafana-Bafana’s return from their training camp in Brazil. The summit was held to discuss legislation pertaining to communal land use, participation of traditional leaders within municipal councils and to ways to manage initiation schools.

Enquiries:
Ditshaba Makhate
Cell: 082 359 6979

Issued by: Department of Local Government and Traditional Affairs, North West Provincial Government
31 March 2010