Motsepe Foundation ups donation to government for school sports to R150m

The Motsepe Foundation has increased its donation to the basic education department for the development and growth of school sport and promotion of African and indigenous music to R150m. 

When the partnership started in 2016, the foundation donated just under R70m over seven years. 

The announcement was made at a press conference at Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg on Thursday. 

The event was attended by foundation founder and chair Patrice Motsepe, CEO Precious Moloi-Motsepe, minister of basic education Angie Motshekga, Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi, Netball South Africa president Cecilia Molokwane and South African Football Association president Danny Jordaan. 

The sports that will benefit are boys' and girls' football and netball.  

The donation is for five years, with R30m to be spent each year. 

Motsepe, who is also president of the Confederation of African Football, said the foundation is committed to investing in the education, development and growth of youth in football, music, netball and other sports. 

“Our partnership with the department of basic education has over many years made contributions to the upliftment and improvement in quality and standard of school football, African choral and indigenous music and netball.

“The Motsepe Foundation decided to increase the donation in the new agreement by more than 100% and contribute to ensuring youth in South Africa can perform and compete successfully with the best in the world in football, music and netball. 

“Academic success and in football, music, netball and other sports create a solid foundation to pursue a promising future in these areas. 

“Some of the best Premier Soccer League and Bafana Bafana players were first identified and recruited while playing in the Kay Motsepe Schools Football Cup established 18 years ago,” he said.

Motshekga said the partnership will make a positive and sustainable difference in the lives of young South Africans. 

“Together we can birth in our lifetime a high-performing basic education system and a socially cohesive society. This is not just a project to build a nation of winners in music and sport, but in all facets of life,” she said 

How the R30m will be distributed every year: 

• R12m to the Kay Motsepe Schools Football Cup for boys and girls at secondary and primary schools; 
• the winning secondary school will receive R3m which must be used for the construction or upgrading of football, education and other sports infrastructure and facilities; 
• R8m for the new schools football competition for girls at secondary and primary school level and for a new primary school competition for boys; 
• R6m for the ABC Motsepe Schools Choral Eisteddfod; and
• the Kay Motsepe Schools Netball Cup will receive R4m. 

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