Mthwakazi United FC 2016 Annual Report

MTHWAKAZI UNITED FOOTBALL CLUB: ANNUAL REPORT: 2016 FOOTBALL SEASON

1. Introduction

Mthwakazi United Football Club (MUFC) was established early last year (2016) as a vehicle to empower youngsters in Bulawayo with physical related educational activities with a specific focus on football. The MUFC was initially established to cater for the needs of both our boys and girls in the Bulawayo area. However, due to financial constraints and lack of funders coming on board, we only managed thus far to cater for the needs only of boys. This situation has adversely affected our girls who have been grossly disadvantaged as a result.

We had hoped that by this time (in March 2107) we would not only have had girls playing football, but netball as well, including other sporting activities such as basketball and a range of others. Although this has not been achieved, we will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that our girls are also catered for. What is critical to note though is that both our constitutions for the junior and senior teams (see attached) are not discriminatory on the basis of gender but inclusive. This means that the moment we get funding to cater for our girls there will be no need to craft separate constitutions as they are already catered for by the attached documents.

2. Why Mthwakazi United Football Club (MUFC)

Anybody who has lived in Bulawayo not only during the last 36 years but even before that will recognise that the promotion of sporting activities of any nature and development thereof has been one of the fundamental voids or gaps lacking in the City of Kings. In this regard there has never been any concerted effort from any quarter of promoting effective partnerships and networking aimed at developing sporting activities within the communities of the City of Kings. This situation can be witnessed also within the context of the rural hinterlands that surround or feed into the City of Kings, Bulawayo.

Yet it is imperative that sports development is essentially a uniting force in human development in terms of sporting activities, play and physical education. As we all are aware that without play, there is no child that can grow well and accomplish skills such as crawling, walking and indeed running and ultimately grow and develop into a healthy human being. It is only in this way, that children develop a sense of wellbeing and belonging through inclusion and participation in sporting and playing activities as well as physical education. In divided societies such as most in the whole of Africa, sports activities and development does bring together individuals and communities which in turn bridges cultural and ethnic divisions.

3. Motivation    

Perhaps one of the single motivating and therefore driving factor that gave birth to the MUFC was the unmistakable recognition that our boys and girls in the City of Kings lacked access to basic educational skills. Quite a substantial number of very young kids had no access to formal education. Whereas others had never seen the inside of a classroom, others had dropped out at various stages of their primary education, still others had no opportunity to proceed to secondary education, with the majority either dropping out in the course of the their secondary educational experience and nearly all them not proceeding beyond matriculation (form four).

The other crucial motivating factor was the question of identity, not only amongst the children but among adult community members within the City of Kings. It is common knowledge that people without a history, cultural identity and education are doomed. Hence, the management of the MUFC quickly realised that our children could not lose out in everything; the way forward in the absence of equitable access to education and excellence was through sports development. Football amongst various sporting activities was selected due to its ease of access in spite of lack of facilities such as football grounds but also equipment and tools. In other words, kids could play football made out of various materials such as plastics even on the township streets and elsewhere.

The issue of the children being exposed to various types of drugs at a very early age because of the environmental factors enveloping the City of Kings was another factor that inspired the establishment of the MUFC. No sane adults and parents could and indeed can bear witness to the destruction of the wellbeing of their children and youth through the use of drugs. The management of the MUFC quickly realised the benefits that would accrue to the children through sports development. Some of these benefits include learning discipline, confidence and leadership skills which in turn instilled within these kids a deeper understanding of failure and success. The effort and management of these core emotions of accepting both failure and success especially on the football pitch was indeed a fundamental value that would empower these kids with survival skills throughout their individual lives. This also equips them with appreciating such values as democracy, cooperation, respect and tolerance.

It is in terms of the foregoing that we as management perceived the establishment of MUFC as vehicle for fostering development by way of providing opportunities and choices for the current and future generations of the children and youth of the City of Kings, paying particular attention to the principles of inclusion, equity and sustainability. The overall motivation for the establishment of the MUFC was driven by basic human capabilities of empowering our current generation of children and youth with capabilities of leading long and healthy lives and community participation in terms of access to knowledge, access to resources required a decent standard of living.     

4. Management Structure   

The management structure of the MUFC has been driven from inception by the desire to promote sporting activities for the communities of Mthwakazi in and around the City of Kings (Bulawayo) as the only way in which it could contribute to the elusive developmental paradigm and change. The management of the MUFC therefore was determined to make a positive contribution and impact to the local communities through the promotion of the ‘GAME’ as both a humanitarian and developmental tool, in pursuit of the overriding community development objectives.

It was in terms of the foregoing that the management structure sought to achieve these broader community development objectives by embracing the following key values:

      Collaboration (working as a team to promote sports activities, effective partnerships and networking with a wide range of community sporting groups),

      Integrity (implementing all the MUFC sporting programmes and activities with honesty and trustworthiness),

      Accountability (remaining at all times responsible for all the commitments that we make on behalf of the MUFC), and

      Transparency (being open at any time for scrutiny, including the opening of the books of the MUFC for inspection and by way of reciprocal policies aimed at developing and spreading the sporting activities to many communities).

5. Composition of the Football Teams & Standing on the Respective logs

The composition of the football teams for the MUFC which played from registration last year (March 2016) until the end of the season (December 2016) ranged as follows:

      Under 14 Football Team with 20 Players and 1 Coach,

      Under 16 Football Team with 20 Players and 1 Coach

      Under 18 Football Team with 20 Players and 1 Coach

As can be see above, during the preceding football season (2016), the MUFC had three (3) teams with a combined total of 60 players and three (3) coaches. Each of these teams played a total of twenty two (22) games which brings a cumulative total of sixty six (66) games.

I have attached the three copies of the football logs which show the final standing of these three (3) teams at the end of the season as follows:

      Under 14 at position 6,

      Under 16 at position 9, and

      Under 18 at position 5.

6. Expenditure

These three (3) teams played a total number of twenty two games (22) each with eleven (11) played at the home grounds and eleven (11) played away from home grounds. In order to highlight the expenditure incurred for all these games, your attention is drawn first to the games played away from home illustrated by the table below:

Table 6.1: The cost of games played away 

Table 6.1 shows clearly that a total of eleven (11) games were played away from the home ground of Pelandaba, in places like Tshabalala, Nkulumane and elsewhere. The cost of food (bread) and drinks for the eleven (11) games played throughout the year (football season) for the Under 14 team alone consisting of 20 players amounted to eighty eight United States dollars (US$88). The similar amount was spent in relation to the Under 16 team also with 20 players. The same amount is also highlighted in respect of the Under 18 team also consisting of 20 players, and thus bringing the combined total of food and drinks for the three (3) teams of MUFC to a whooping two hundred sixty four United States dollars (US$264).

The cost of food and drinks for the three (3) Coaches during the same period amounted to thirty three United States dollars (US$33). The same amount can be seen on the same Table 6.1 in relation to the transport costs of the three (3) coaches during the same period. But as Table 6.1 above also shows, the combined transportation costs at one United States dollar (US$1) to and from the away game per each player and for a total of sixty (60) players of the MUFC amounted to eight hundred three United States dollars (US$803) for the entire season. The cost of paying Referees for the entire football season at ten United States dollars (US$10) per game for the three teams spread throughout the year (football season of 2016) amounted to one hundred ten United States dollars (US$110).  

The cost of games played at the home ground in Pelandaba is displayed on Table 6.2 below. The only difference between the two tables (Table 6.1 and Table 6.2) is that there are no transportation costs for all the home games played at Pelandaba grounds. These grounds are within walking distance of all players, coaches and indeed the management structure of the MUFC. The food costs and for drinks for the home games remained the same as that of the away games at a total of two hundred sixty four United States dollars (US$264), and with a similar amount of thirty three United States dollars (US$33)for the three volunteer coaches during the same period in respect to the home games. The costs for Referees for the home games remained constant as those of the away games as Table 6.2 clearly shows at one hundred ten United States dollars (US$110).

Table 6.2: The cost of games played at home

It has to be borne in mind that the travelling and food cost of the management structure of the MUFC are not highlighted on any of these tables for the simple reason that as the key drivers of this project they had to go an extra mile in managing this project. These costs by the management structure include the travelling costs to and from purchasing food and drinks in town for the whole three (3) teams – Under 14; Under 16 and Under 18 – of MUFC. In addition they also include travelling to and from to the Football Association offices, as well as to various destinations where possible visiting other teams as they play to both engage with likeminded managers and getting acquainted to new techniques and exposure to a variety of styles of playing football.     

Table 6.3 below also shows that the expenditure in a football club like ours without a sponsor is indeed a daunting task. It is by no means easy. It requires a lot of sacrifice if only for the good of the game and fundamentally for addressing challenges that have arisen which face and threaten the future of thousands of children and youngsters, triggered by the immense embedded humanitarian crisis in Mthwakazi.

As can be seen from Table 6.3 below, the cost of new football kits with socks for the Under 14 team of 20 players amounted to two hundred seventy United States dollars (US$270). This cost excluded and still excludes the cost of football boots which we still do not have. It is noteworthy though that at one time we did manage to buy a total of twenty six (26) football boots from a Chinese shop at a cost of two thousand six hundred South African rand (SAR2600) which was approximately two hundred United States dollars (US$200) at the exchange rate of last year in June 2016. We have not highlighted this amount as it proved to be fruitless expenditure as these football boots from the Chinese did not last even three games.

What Table 6.3 also shows is the number of kits which were donated to us by Mr Thembani Dube from the United Kingdom. To bring these kits to Africa was a bit costly as the excess baggage had to be paid for. Again this amount is not highlighted anywhere in tabular form in this report. But as can clearly be seen the donation of forty (40) kits from Mr Thembani Dube was a significant contribution as it enabled the players to play football with hope.

However, these kits that were donated by Mr Thembani Dube had varied sizes. They had to be taken to a tailor for alteration at five United States dollars per kit, in order for them to fit. The overall alteration cost amounted to two hundred United States dollars (US$200) as shown on Table 6.3 below.

The total cost of twelve (12) football balls which were shared equally amongst the three (3) teams of MUFC was three hundred United States dollars (US$300) at twenty five dollars (US$25) each. As Table 6.3 further shows, the washing powder for all the three teams amounted to ninety United States dollars (US$90) for the whole season with US10 dollars spent each month on washing all the kits of the MUFC.    

Table 6.3: The cost of the Football Kits, Alterations of Kits, Balls and Washing Powder

Table 6.4 below shows the total expenditure of all the line items. Whereas the food/bread items remained constant at one hundred sixty five United States dollars when the three teams were playing away or at home, the expenditure for the drinks also remained the same at ninety nine United States dollars either way during the same period that the three (3) teams played throughout the football season. The registration fee is highlighted on Table 6.4 below and from Table 6.1 above was a once off fee which was paid in respect to the registration of all the three (3) teams of MUFC with the football association. This fee also covered the issuing of licences for individual players. However the cost of photos and photocopying for each individual player was incurred by the management of the MUFC.

Transport fees (see table 6.4 below) were very high (US$803) due to the number of trips that had to be undertaken, eleven (11) in total to and from all the matches that were played away from home. We relied on public transport (the local taxis) which charged each player one United States dollar to and from the matches or games that were played by all the three (3) teams of MUFC away from the home grounds. The referee was paid ten United States dollars (US$10) per the combined three (3) matches of the three (3) teams of MUFC. Overall, the MUFC spent a total of one thousand seven hundred sixty seven United States dollars (US$1,767) throughout the season of 2016 in respect to the administration and running of the MUFC.

Table 6.4 Total Expenditure

7. Income

Most of the income came from family resources. We had to sacrifice a great deal in order to ensure that this project did materialise for the specific purposes of empowering our young kids who have basically nowhere to go, other than the inviting exposure to literal abandonment by society at large. As such we would borrow here and there to keep the teams going and this in turn meant that each time we were getting deeper into debt. It was not until Churchill Guduza went to the United Kingdom where with met a few colleagues, that some moral and financial assistance was rendered on behalf of the MUFC. The fact that no specific figures can be highlighted is designed to avoid giving a distorted picture. It is safe to say that only very small amounts were received in comparison to the expenditure of the MUFC.

8. Special Thanks to the Seminars of Thiyiwe Khumalo and associates

Thiyiwe Khumalo (who Churchill refers to as uMama uMaKhumalo) deserves a special thanks for her untiring role in raising awareness through the cost effective seminars held in London, United Kingdom with Churchill’s colleagues; Ray Stoole, Rory Masiane, Lungile Moyo and others. It was through these seminars and in particular, the association Thiyiwe Khumalo with a special human being, by the name of Mrs Gibbons popularly known as uMama uMaGumede, that we were able to receive some assistance.

When we were preparing for the Awards Presentation Ceremony early last December 2016, for the three teams of the MUFC, we received some assistance from uMama uMagumede. With this assistance we then set out immediately to purchase a total of forty seven new tee shirts for those of the players who had not qualified to receive the awards for best achievement.

This idea came from uMama uMakhumalo, who had advised us that it would not be good for only a few to receive awards and not everyone. She had suggested that we look into the issue of maybe buying a packet of food handouts or of sugar for each of the players who had not qualified for the awards, hence we had to settle for the idea of buying tee shirts for the majority of the players.

We need to underline herein in this report that without the sterling role and contribution of uMama uMaKhumalo who coordinated the fundraising effort involving the abovenamed colleagues, and who singularly approached uMama uMaGumede, these teams of the MUFC would not have succeeded to make any impact at home. Both these giant mothers ensured the survival of the MUFC during its first year of existence and competition, and as such deserve without any question to be elevated to the positions of Trustees of the Mthwakazi United Football Club, subject, of course, to their acceptance. Both Ray Masuku and Lungile Moyo also deserve (in recognition of their untiring valued efforts) to be members of the board of trusties of the MUFC.

9. Special thanks to Mr Fidelis Ncube

Special thanks are due to this giant of an individual, a selfless human being, Mr Fidelis Ncube, who has done so much for the Mthwakazi United Football Club at his own cost. Mr Ncube produced and donated the eight (8) awards that were awarded to the players on the 24^th December 2016. Mr Ncube also printed and inserted the logo on all the tee-shirts for the MUFC. More importantly he also designed and printed a calendar of the MUFC at his own cost.

Overall, just before the Christmas festive period we received more than a thousand copies of the MUFC Calendar from Mr Ncube, which we distributed to all the players of the MUFC, their families as well as to the wider public of Bulawayo, the City of Kings.  It is as a result of this sterling contribution that hundreds of people in Bulawayo are proudly hanging these MUFC calendars on the walls of their dwellings and residencies. It is by virtue of his immense contribution to the MUFC that Mr Fidelis Ncube deserves automatic recognition as a member of the board of trustees as well.

10. The Awards Presentation Ceremony held on 24 December 2016

The ceremony went well without any interruption even from the rains. The boys ate everything, isitshwala, rice, meat, cakes, biscuits, sweets and drank lots of soft drinks. Those who did not get awards in recognition of excellence such as best football scorer or best disciplined player and so on, got a new tee shirt with the Mthwakazi United Football Club (MUFC) and logo printed both at the back and at the front.

This was indeed a big day for the boys who had attended the presentation ceremony including all the coaches of MUFC. Those who were not present had their gifts reserved for them with care. My daughter Belinda was the biggest star as a person who has been instrumental in ensuring that all the football kits are washed and ironed before the next match, so that each player looks presentable.

She has also been instrumental in ensuring that all the damaged balls are fixed before the next match and above all she has been the Queen Manager in organising transport with efficiency and effectiveness for the 3 teams with a total of 60 boys whenever they are playing away from their home grounds. Fundamentally and most importantly, my daughter Belinda has been a towering giant in ensuring that all the 60 boys get something to eat and drink after every match. Well done to her.

This is why when the MUFC Calendars were presented at the ceremony and distributed to all the boys present who play for the 3 teams of MUFC; that all the boys and elders present competed to give her a hug. Each of these boys took away as further presents to their loved ones and friends approximately 10 calendars each. The interesting thing about these calendars is that most of these boys' faces, including, of course of my daughter Belinda are shown on them. Their faces represent one of the distinguishing features of these calendars and it is only this way that they feel that they did make a difference by playing for and being part of the MUFC from inception. Well done to all of them. They really did us proud. The achievements of these boys, is truly unparalleled. This is why they need everybody's support.

Overall, I also shared with them a birthday cake that I had bought for Churchill for his 60 years. The boys danced until the early evening when eventually I had to switch off the music system around 18.00 hours on Christmas Eve, Saturday the 24th December 2016. Churchill’s 60^th birthday fell on 10 December 2016, more than a week before he set out for Bulawayo.

To make this awards presentation ceremony even more unforgettable, members of the community (old and small) also joined in to eat and danced all afternoon, and that the almighty was also generous by holding back the rains on that particular day. To really bless this remarkable day for what it really was, the ceremony was opened by uMama uMaNkomo with a prayer and it was closed by another elderly Pelandaba resident also with a prayer. By the way uMama uMaNkomo had come all the way from Cowdry Park the other side of Luveve with her husband to attend the awards presentation ceremony. The following were the winners of the awards:

      Bhekimpilo Ncube, top goal scorer of the Under 14 football team;

      Thembelani Nkomo & Arnel Gumi jointly best midfielders of the Under 16 football team;

      Kelvin Miti, Manager’s Choice, Under 18 football team;

      Nhlanhla Sithole, disciplined player, Under 18 football team;

      Nhlanhla Ndebele, achievement player, Under 18 football team;

      Busani, best goalkeeper, Under 14 football team;

      Jeffrey Tshuma, Under 18 football team; and

      Celani Nkomo, best coach, Under 18 football team.

Overall, however, I have to recognise the role of played by Churchill in not only directing the activities and programmes of the MUFC, but in empowering and instilling a sense of responsibility to our daughter Belinda. Without this dedicated leadership, motivation and inspiration and setting direction for the MUFC, our daughter Belinda who turns 20 this year on the 25th September, would not have achieved so much and overcome the insurmountable obstacles that stood our way.

11. Conclusion

It is in terms of the foregoing that I locate this achievement firmly within the overwhelming love for football that I have (as a fan and lifetime supporter of the Highlanders Football Club at home, a fan of Orlando Pirates in South Africa, a fan of Barcelona in Spain and a fan of Liverpool in England). These are the attributes that have been passed on to our daughter Belinda and by extension and consequentially to our son Churchill Junior.

Please kindly underline the birthday of my daughter and kindly enable her to celebrate it with pride of knowing that you are the ultimate foundation, pillar and key driver for her contribution and success through your financial support for the MUFC, without which we would not be talking about the awards presentation ceremony. The impact of this MUFC in the whole of Bulawayo is something to be cherished and a dream come true. This is indeed a good positive story to tell as many boys who otherwise would be walking the streets (and exposed to unbecoming behaviours such as experimenting with drugs and so on) have today something to look forward to and dream about.

Sadly, we lacked the appropriate video equipment to record the awards presentation ceremony. I did however get a few pictures using a mobile phone which will be attached to this report or sent to you separately soon. There has also been a new development from the football authorities which accommodates the Under 20 team within the same league that we have been registered under during the past year. This in a nutshell provides continuity for boys who played for the Under 18 last year to progress to play for the Under 20 team. It is in terms of the foregoing therefore that I continue to plead for resources from all of you, as a matter of great urgency, on behalf of the MUFC.

As I conclude this annual report, I feel compelled to underline for you all that the registration process for the 2017 football season is already underway. The registration fee for the four teams which now include the new Under 14 and Under 20 is set at five hundred United States dollars (US$500).

12. Account details for funding and donations

You are kindly requested to utilise the following account details in making your donations. Please kindly note that we are in urgent need for funding for:

      the Registration Fees of five hundred United States dollars (US$500) as the new football season is already under way; and

      Level 1 Coaching Fees of eighty United States dollars (US$80) which must be paid at the Football Association by next week for the course that takes place from 24 March 2017 until 2^nd April 2017 at Evelyn High in Bulawayo. This course is to be attended by chairpersons or managers or coaches.   

Donations to be deposited to the following account:

Mthwakazi Freedom Project

Bank Name: Barclays

Branch: Woolwich, London, UK.

Account No: 33900819

Sort Code: 20-29-63

Paypal: 8765

I thank you all most sincerely from the bottom of my heart for this wonderful achievement, especially the good elderly persons: uMama uMaKhumalo and uMama uMaGumede. 

Sakhile Masuku

Chairperson: Mthwakazi United Football Team

Email: sakhilemasuku3@gmail.com

Mobile: +263 77 283 0065; +263 71 392 9947; +27 74 814 5115; +27 73 736 7353

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