03 Jun 2014

The controversy that has often surrounded the constituency tournaments was tested recently in some of the Kgalagadi North villages, and many young people, for whom the scheme was introduced, say they find nothing wrong with the now six-year-old programme.

Introduced in July 2008, and chiefly meant to address issues of drug and alcohol abuse, as well as HIV/AIDS, among others, the constituency tournaments are among a plethora of youth empowerment schemes available to young people to date.

Twenty-six-year-old Lesotlhego Moganetse, of Monong, said the constituency tournaments were good because they had managed to unite the youth in his village.

“We were strangers to each other because there was nothing that drew us together, but since the formation of our local football team called Monong Supersport United, which takes part in constituency tournaments, we are now one family,” he said.

Moganetse said another positive aspect of constituency tournaments was that they had removed the majority of youth from the streets to be engaged in the various sporting codes. In addition, he said wayward behaviour such as alcohol abuse that was increasing HIV infection had reduced considerably.

He said since his village was remote, and the only source of employment was Ipelegeng, they appreciated government’s effort through constituency tournaments as they also came with some wages to meet their basic needs. “Usually, after our ward level games, we divide P3300-00 - prize for position one - amongst team members and that is something to smile about,” he said.

Another youth, Mpolokang Oatlhotse, of Ukhwi Super Eagles Football Club shared the same sentiment, saying teenage pregnancy and other social ills in Ukwhi had declined since 2009, which showed that constituency tournaments were bearing fruit.

“Constituency tournaments are something to write home about. Even players from superior leagues want to play in our tournaments so that they can earn something,” he said, adding that they spent some for the money on humanitarian work.

Oatlhotse added that their mission was to help the government to achieve the Vision 2016 pillar of ‘a compassionate, just and caring nation’.

For Kenanao Ditlhobolo of Lehututu United Netball Club said constituency tournaments were very important because they unearthed the otherwise latent talents from youth in rural areas. 

She added that the government had discovered that through talent someone could put food on the table.

Ditlhobolo urged the youth who were still idling in streets to partake in constituency tournaments to expose their talent and advanced to another level.

Furthermore, she said sport could help in the reduction of unemployment, which was the main challenge facing the government today. She cited South Africa as an example of a country in which sport was a serious employment opportunity. 

That government is channeling huge budgets towards youth demonstrates how they are recognized as a national resource that should play a major role in advancing the country to another level.ENDS