“But I am excited. I spoke to Safa and [Caf president Patrice] Motsepe and they are willing to come on board. We will go to a session and it will be rescued.
"It needs to be repurposed and repackaged so it can accommodate every player across our country.”
It has been many years since the school produced a word-class footballer and reports are widespread of the decline of the institution founded in the 1990s.
Lesufi said the situation in which the school finds itself pains him.
“It pains me to have a huge company like Transnet pulling out of the School of Excellence We are trying very hard to rescue the school.
“I was whispering to the president [of Safa, Danny Jordaan] and we must find a way of working together.”
Other players produced by the school include Dillon Sheppard, Shaun Potgieter, Gabriel Mofokeng, Lucky Maselesele and Andile Cele.
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Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi wants to help rescue School of Excellence
Image: Sydney Mahlangu/BackpagePix
Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi wants the famed Transnet/Safa School of Excellence to be rescued from the doldrums.
Late last year, Transnet informed the South African Football Association (Safa) it would no longer provide financial support to the school that produced exceptional players including Steven Pienaar, Daine Klate and Bernard Parker.
Lesufi, who is passionate about sport and played a crucial role in the revival of DStv Premiership team Swallows FC, said the school has to be rescued, repurposed and repackaged.
“What disappointed me the most is that I learned about it in the media. Transnet is a government institution,” Lesufi said.
“If I knew they wanted to pull out I would have met with them to say: ‘You can’t invest so much money for so many years, and when it is supposed to be ripe and you benefit you leave that investment’.
“But I am excited. I spoke to Safa and [Caf president Patrice] Motsepe and they are willing to come on board. We will go to a session and it will be rescued.
"It needs to be repurposed and repackaged so it can accommodate every player across our country.”
It has been many years since the school produced a word-class footballer and reports are widespread of the decline of the institution founded in the 1990s.
Lesufi said the situation in which the school finds itself pains him.
“It pains me to have a huge company like Transnet pulling out of the School of Excellence We are trying very hard to rescue the school.
“I was whispering to the president [of Safa, Danny Jordaan] and we must find a way of working together.”
Other players produced by the school include Dillon Sheppard, Shaun Potgieter, Gabriel Mofokeng, Lucky Maselesele and Andile Cele.
Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.
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