Kruger National Park executive director, Dr Bandile Mkhize.

Khoza, a local businessman, has dug in from his pocket to rent a grader that cleared two soccer fields in Phiva where some of the tournament games were played. Many commended his contribution to the tournament. Bandile Mkhize the executive director of the Kruger national park, who immediately committed his company on “greening the soccer fields of Nkomazi.

Mkhize told Nkomazi voice afterwards that the Kruger national park is charge with environment management there fore it was inline with the environment management of the park. Our intention is to involve local Labour in this project, we will provide them the appropriate training and also assist them with the technical know how” he said. Mkhize’s determination to end the legacy was that started by the apartheid state when it created home lands and townships where black people were condemned to poverty and unemployment was clearly demonstrated by the speed with witch he intends to start the project. While he could not specify the date of the commencement he, he told Nkomazi voice it will commence before the end of this year calendar “we will start with two fields this year” he said.

Nkomazi is likely to be the one of the few, if not only the Black Township to have green soccer fields for amateur soccer in the whole country. Barren soccer field have and continue to be preparatory grounds for some of the country’s soccer stars that are playing their trade in local and international leagues. Lucas Thwala, who plays for Orlando Pirates, honed his skills in the very barren soccer field of Nkomazi until he was sported by talent scouts who wasted non time in recruiting him to the professional league.

Meanwhile Mkhize confided to Nkomazi voice he has already started discussions with the deputy mayor of Ehlanzeni district , Selby Khumalo, because he believes this must be a joint project with the municipality and “all other stake holders “he said that this was critical in ensuring that the initiative is sustainable. When asked to “put his heard on the block” by committing that next year’s final will be played in a green soccer field he laughed and said “I don’t want to do that, all I can say is that there will be some progress but it is not unachievable”