A NEW development soccer tournament has been established in the Eastern Cape in memory of the late Kaizer Chiefs director and ex-Safa executive member Clarence Mlokoti.
The inaugural Clarence Mlokoti Annual Commemorative Tournament features 14 amateur clubs in Tsomo near Queenstown.
"We started with the tournament on September 18 and will play the finals on October 9," said tournament founder and director Luthando "Trompies" Zibeko.
"Oom Locks (Mlokoti) devoted 30 years of his life to football until he was tragically killed by car hijackers in Pimville (Soweto) in December 1999.
"The aim of the tournament is to commemorate the life and contribution of Oom Locks, who was one of the best football administrators to have served football in this country.
"There is no better year to honour Oom Locks than doing it in the year the country hosted the successful 2010 Fifa World Cup.
"I appreciate the support from the Eastern Cape department of sport, arts and culture and the local organising committee for this project," Zibeko said.
Department of sport and recreation manager for Chris Hani district municipality Bernard McPherson said they were delighted to be part of the event: "The Mlokoti family did not hesitate at my first presentation back in February."
Mlokoti served Safa as its executive member and as an administrator at Orlando Pirates until leaving with Kaizer Motaung to form Chiefs, then Kaizer X1.