September in line for award

Tsomo-born Premier Soccer League spokesperson and NGO founder Luxolo September has been nominated for a top sports award.

The former Dispatch reporter is up against Comrades Marathon legend Bruce Fordyce, EFC Africa Extreme Fighting Championship founder Cairo Howarth, and Asia, Africa & Middle East of Nielsen Sports MD Kelvin Watt for the SA Sports Industry Group Personality of the Year Award.

The winner will be announced on Friday in Johannesburg.

September, who works for Caf [Confederation of African Football] and Cosafa [Council of Southern Africa Football Associations] as well as the PSL, told the Dispatch he preferred to be away from the spotlight and work quietly on building himself as an administrator.

“To be nominated alongside Cairo Howarth is something big for me. These guys are icons so I’m honoured.”

He said he was a living testament that possibilities were available to everyone. “I come from the villages and if I could do it, then anyone can do it.

“I was inspired by the dire circumstances of my village when I was growing up.

“That inspired me to start the uLwazi Project,” he said.

The NGO is focused on empowering rural and township kids through reading clubs, leadership development, career orientation and mentoring.

He said he was also inspired by former Bush Bucks owner Sturu Pasiya, “the first administrator I knew from Transkei”.

“Even the Dispatch planted the seed. Brian McLean, the former sport editor, took a chance on me and if it wasn’t for him maybe things would have been different now.”