Play your part, join the #67Matches for Madiba tournament this Mandela Day – a Sport interest event taking place on 2019-07-14 10:00:00 in South Africa
For the fourth consecutive year, Discovery Soccer Park and PKF Octagon are calling on all corporate, celebrity and club soccer teams to get in on the action and participate in the #67Matches for Madiba soccer tournament to mark Mandela Day 2019.
#67Matches for Madiba is a 67-match, 5-a-side soccer tournament held on behalf of the Smile Foundation – the NGO established at the personal request of Madiba to help a young girl to smile again – with all funds raised going to assist children in Gauteng with facial anomalies in need of corrective surgery. As Nelson Mandela remains the organisation’s chief patron, this is a most fitting tribute to Madiba and his legacy.
The 2019 edition of #67Matches for Madiba takes place on Sunday, 14 July 2019 at Discovery Soccer Park Sandton, based at the Sandton Sports Club. Aside from all the generous corporate and club teams participating, the tournament also features a celebrity team The Parlotones.
Hedley Lewis, Executive Director of the Smile Foundation, says as in previous years, the funds raised from the event will be put towards dealing with the backlog of reconstructive paediatric cases in the province.
“There is such a long waiting list of children who need facial surgeries for various conditions, from disfiguring burns and congenital defects to cleft lip and palate corrections. Madiba loved children, and famously said, ‘we have an obligation to put sunshine into the hearts of our little ones, they are our (most) precious possessions’. We are privileged to be able to honour Madiba’s wishes by helping Gauteng’s most vulnerable children in this way,” says Lewis.
This is the fourth year that PKF Octagon is the headline sponsor of the event, which has been wholly embraced by PKF Octagon staff and the company’s broader community.
“We are proud to once again be the headline sponsor of #67Matches for Madiba in aid of the Smile Foundation. The tournament is a fantastic platform to highlight the spirit of Madiba and his enduring belief that sport has the power to unify us as a nation. The day has become a highlight on our company calendar, with staff looking forward to the opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to society while having fun,” says Waldek Wasowicz, partner at PKF Octagon.
This is also the fourth year that Discovery Soccer Park has hosted the event, although this year it has moved to its premises at the Sandton Sports Club.
“We are honoured to once again play host to this annual tournament in support of the Smile Foundation, and look forward to helping raise funds for the fantastic work the foundation does on a daily basis across South Africa. We call on corporate South Africa to get behind this initiative and support a great cause in the name of Madiba,” says Ryan Kalk, CEO of Discovery Soccer Park.
The tournament comprises 33 teams of 8 players each, with each team playing around 5 games each of around 10 to 15 minutes per match, in a round robin format. The top teams from each group will qualify for the knock-out rounds, with the final two teams battling it out for the main prize. In addition to fantastic prizes and other spot prizes, a donation will also be awarded in the name of the winning team to the Smile Foundation. The cost to participate is R2800 per team. There are also various food and drink vendors and family-friendly activities available on the day
The tournament kicks off at 10am sharp on Sunday, 14 July 2019 at the Discovery Soccer Park at George Lea Park in Parkmore, Sandton.
For more information, visit www.67matches.co.za
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