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
Teams |
Number of Games Played |
Food/ Bread (US$) |
Drinks (US$) |
Transport (US$) |
Referee (US$) |
Once Off Registration Fee (US$) |
Under 14 (20 players) |
11 |
55 |
33 |
220 |
--- |
---- |
Under 16 (20 players) |
11 |
55 |
33 |
220 |
--- |
---- |
Under 18 (20 players) |
11 |
55 |
33 |
220 |
--- |
---- |
Coaches (3) |
11 |
11 |
22 |
33 |
|
|
Total |
11 |
176 |
121 |
803 |
110 |
150 |
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$110).
Table
6.2: The cost of games played at home
Teams |
Number of Games Played |
Food/Bread (US$) |
Drinks (US$) |
Transport (US$) |
Referee (US$) |
Under 14 (20 players) |
11 |
55 |
33 |
-- |
110 |
Under 16 (20 players) |
11 |
55 |
33 |
-- |
110 |
Under 18 (20 players) |
11 |
55 |
33 |
-- |
110 |
Coaches |
11 |
11 |
22 |
-- |
|
Total |
11 |
176 |
121 |
-- |
330 |
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$90)
for the whole season with US10 dollars spent each month on washing all the kits
of the MUFC.
Table
6.3: The cost of the Football Kits, Alterations of Kits, Balls and Washing
Powder
Item |
Number |
Cost (US$) |
New Football Kit |
20 |
270 |
Old Football Kit |
40 |
-- -- |
Alterations |
40 |
200 |
Balls |
12 |
300 |
Washing Powder |
9 |
90 |
Total |
--- |
850 |
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$1,767) throughout the season of 2016 in respect to the
administration and running of the MUFC.
Table
6.4 Total Expenditure
Item |
Amount (US$) |
Total (US$) |
Food (bread) when teams were playing
AWAY) |
165 |
165 |
Drinks (when teams were playing AWAY) |
99 |
99 |
Food (bread) when teams were playing
at HOME) |
165 |
165 |
Drinks (when teams were playing at
HOME) |
99 |
99 |
Coaches (food/bread when teams are
playing AWAY) |
11 |
11 |
Coaches (drinks when teams are
playing AWAY) |
22 |
22 |
Coaches (food/bread when teams are
playing at HOME) |
11 |
11 |
Coaches (drinks when teams are
playing at HOME) |
22 |
22 |
Transport |
803 |
803 |
Referee (when teams are playing
AWAY) |
110 |
110 |
Referee (when teams are playing at
HOME) |
110 |
110 |
Once Off Registration Fee |
150 |
150 |
Total |
1767 |
1767 |
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 24th 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 60th 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 2nd 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