The annual Ngumbela soccer and netball tournaments come to their conclusion this weekend when the finals are battled out in Healdtown tomorrow.
These tournaments have been held thanks to the sponsorship of Advocate Mthetheleli Ngumbela since 1995 and are still going strong 21 years later.
“I want people to see what we are doing in the rural areas,” said Ngumbela.
“The government does not help us at all so I have taken it upon myself to do as much as I can for these communities and bring sport to them.
“It is not just cricket which I sponsor but also soccer, netball and rugby and I am always looking at new things.”
Sixteen teams from Healdtown, Idutywa, Alice and Butterworth began the soccer tournament while 18 teams from the same places were competing on the netball side.
That has since been whittled down to four teams in the soccer tournament and they will be playing the semifinals and final on the day, while just two sides remain on the Netball front and they will compete in the final.
A lot of fans are expected to turn out and some people travel from far to come and watch the finals.
“People from the rurals really love their sport. We are going to have a lot of people here at on Sunday watching the tournament and some even walk 10 kilometres from Fort Beaufort to watch,” said Ngumbela.
The soccer will also be played on the newly renovated field which is almost complete.
It has taken a long time to get the renovations of the field done and a stand will be named after a former cricket coach who led a Healdtown cricket team to the Ngumbela title for the first time in the early 90s.
“The renovations are 90% done and we it is almost completely finished,” explained Ngumbela.
“We are naming the pavilion the Lindi Churchil Mdlalo Pavilion, after a coach who in 1994 led the Healdtown cricket team to a win in the Ngumbela cricket tournament...”
According to Ngumbela unfortunately the coach passed away after the team won that match.
The finals get under way tomorrow morning.
Healdtown will be the place to be
These tournaments have been held thanks to the sponsorship of Advocate Mthetheleli Ngumbela since 1995 and are still going strong 21 years later.
“I want people to see what we are doing in the rural areas,” said Ngumbela.
“The government does not help us at all so I have taken it upon myself to do as much as I can for these communities and bring sport to them.
“It is not just cricket which I sponsor but also soccer, netball and rugby and I am always looking at new things.”
Sixteen teams from Healdtown, Idutywa, Alice and Butterworth began the soccer tournament while 18 teams from the same places were competing on the netball side.
That has since been whittled down to four teams in the soccer tournament and they will be playing the semifinals and final on the day, while just two sides remain on the Netball front and they will compete in the final.
A lot of fans are expected to turn out and some people travel from far to come and watch the finals.
“People from the rurals really love their sport. We are going to have a lot of people here at on Sunday watching the tournament and some even walk 10 kilometres from Fort Beaufort to watch,” said Ngumbela.
The soccer will also be played on the newly renovated field which is almost complete.
It has taken a long time to get the renovations of the field done and a stand will be named after a former cricket coach who led a Healdtown cricket team to the Ngumbela title for the first time in the early 90s.
“The renovations are 90% done and we it is almost completely finished,” explained Ngumbela.
“We are naming the pavilion the Lindi Churchil Mdlalo Pavilion, after a coach who in 1994 led the Healdtown cricket team to a win in the Ngumbela cricket tournament...”
According to Ngumbela unfortunately the coach passed away after the team won that match.
The finals get under way tomorrow morning.
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