Alex football launches new soccer tourney

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Alex football has launched yet another end-of-the-year tournament which seeks to galvanise the achievements and advances being made in the development of grassroots football.

Known as the Alexandra Northrand Local Football Association Year-End Tournament, the event will feature teams from the U13, U15, U17 and U20 leagues, as well as the senior league and teams from the Safa Promotional League, SAB League, and the ABC Motsepe League.

The tournament kicks off on 21 November and the final is scheduled for 12 December at the Alexandra Stadium.

Speaking at the launch, the director for sport and recreation of the City of Johannesburg, Siyanda Mnukwa, said the City had a programme to support and uplift sporting codes which were previously regarded as whites-only sports, and those codes include rugby, golf and cricket.

“The reason for this was to transform these sporting codes as well and ensure they were made accessible to all the residents of the city. You will understand that most of our African communities tend to incline towards playing soccer, hence the reason why we do not support clubs in that code.”

However, Mnukwa said this does not mean that the city will not support a specific tournament organised in football circles. “We will pick and choose which tournament we want to support, and those wishing to attract our support can present their detailed proposals to us, which we will duly consider,” he said.

Before the draw was conducted, chairperson of Alex football, Maisha Molepo, honoured more than 10 former chairpersons of the association who led the organisation since its founding in 1936.

Those honoured included the likes of Orlando Pirates and Premier Soccer League chairperson, Dr Irvin ‘Iron Duke’ Khoza, Simon Noge, Simon Selepe, John Mahlangu, John Mnisi and many more, some of whom were honoured posthumously.