Zizi Kodwa to work with Mosimane, other stakeholders to boost sports in schools

Sports minister Zizi Kodwa has hinted at working with Al-Ahli Saudi coach Pitso Mosimane and other stakeholders to enforce sports in urban and rural schools.

Kodwa met the Confederation of African Football (Caf), South African Football Association (Safa) and the basic education department to discuss school sports development.

“We all agreed Sport Wednesday must be enforced in both urban and rural schools. This will open opportunities for former football players to assist in school sport development,” said Kodwa.

He said the intersection between sport and education was critical for youth development.

“This is why we must ensure that school infrastructure includes sports facilities. I am motivated by our common agreement to this and commit to working to ensure this is realised.”

Mosimane, who launched Pitso Mosimane Soccer Schools to develop young football players, thanked the minister for the initiative.

“Thank you very much, minister. Pitso Mosimane Soccer Schools has already started in schools. We have former players as our coaches and all our coaches are Caf-Safa qualified coaches. Dr D Jordan and Premier Panyaza Lesufi gave us blessings to help and develop football at the schools,” said Mosimane.

“I wish you all the best in this department and honestly have a soft spot for you in my system for many years. We are a phone call away or school away to see our work in the schools. We have already invested a lot of personal resources in the course.”

Kodwa said: “Thank you Jingles, I look forward to working with patriots like you and other stakeholders. Let’s make school sports great again.”

Mosimane’s management team, MT Sports, said Pitso Mosimane Soccer Schools was seeking to produce well-balanced players. “The PMSS is part of coach Pitso’s legacy of not only creating the player of tomorrow but also ensuring he contributes to football in SA so that it can go back to the level of excellence that we know it can be and, most importantly, to reach new heights,” said Moira Tlhagale, MD of the MT Sports Marketing and Management agency.

It said the football programme would have a holistic approach to developing players on and off the field.

“Key elements that form part of the PMSS programme are to ensure the employment of the right calibre of coaches, adherence to a specified development plan and ensuring the environment the players are in is safe and they are encouraged to thrive,” MT Sports GM Keletso Totlhanyo said.

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