Richard Nkosi

Richard Nkosi

Boy Sikhosana, chief executive of the Mpumalanga Academy of Sports (MAS), said the academy has lined up projects that will uplift the standard of sport and change the province for the better.

He said the aim was to ensure that sport was sustainable and effective.

The projects were established by the German government, under the Youth Empowerment Scheme through Sport (Yess).

They include sports leadership courses and a five-a-side soccer development tournament.

"The Yess project is aimed at empowering teachers and youth in school on football and is presently under way," said Sikhosana.

Former South African director of coaches, Simon Phiri Ngomane, has developed learning material and the courses will be accredited by national soccer governing body, Safa.

The first batch of teachers will be trained be in July.

Sikhosana said they also have 60 bursaries for sports leadership courses.

"MAS, in partnership with the Mpumalanga department of culture, sport and recreation, have been awarded learnerships by Theta [Tourism, Hospitality and Sport Education and Training Authority].

"We are looking for 48 unemployed young and ambitious sports people who passed Grade 12 and who would like to take sports as a career," he said.

"We are also looking for 12 employed sports officials within municipalities and the regional departments of culture, sport and recreation."

Sikhosana said the successful candidates will undergo training in sport leadership course which is accredited at NQF level 4. They will receive an allowance of R960 a month during the learnerships.

The five-a-side development tournament is already under way in the Gert Sibande region and will soon be extended to the other two regions of the province.