Matome Lebea

Matome Lebea

Moroka Swallows defender and national Under-20 captain Ramahlwe Mphahlele and Orlando Pirates coach Owen "Rubber doll" Da Gama will be among sports people who will be honoured by Limpopo Premier Sello Moloto on Saturday.

The gala, to be hosted at Dalmada, outside Polokwane, is organised by the provincial government to recognise the invaluable contribution local athletes have been making in different sporting codes.

Mphahlele has contributed a lot at Swallows. He has also captained the national Under-17 team before he graduated to the Under-20s. Da Gama played a pivotal role when he transformed his former team, Platinum Stars, into a force to be reckoned with in the local game. He groomed the then underrated Stars from the National First Division to the Absa Premiership and to a runners-up finish last season.

Some of those who will be honoured include captain of the national men's softball team Simunye, and Seleteng Giant Killers, Vasna Molaba, who will miss the event as he will be in Holland with Simunye. Thabang Letsoalo will be recognised for the sterling job he has done for softball.

Members of Safa's national executive committee Nakedi Lekota and national chairperson of the referees committee Kirksten Nematandani will also be honoured. Joseph Makaringe and Cassius Baloyi will be honoured for their role in boxing, while former top soccer administrator, the late Timothy Monyama, will receive the award posthumously.

Abram Matloga and Jane Rasakanya, who represented the country at the World Cross Country Championship for the Intellectually Impaired in Poland recently, will also be hailed.