Pitso and Panyaza’s collaboration on reviving school sport forges ahead

Former Al Ahly and Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane is forging a strong partnership with Gauteng MEC for sport Panyaza Lesufi with the intention of reviving sport in schools, particularly football.

On Tuesday, Mosimane and Lesufi launched the Rosina Sedibane Modiba Sports School of Specialisation in Laudium, Pretoria. The boarding school aims to nurture sports talent.

Lesufi is active in and passionate about improving the wellbeing of school sports in Gauteng and is also a former Swallows FC chairperson. He was recently elected chair of the ANC in Gauteng and has been touted to take over as premier of the province after the 2024 national elections.

“I am honoured with the opportunity to join the MEC of education, Mr Panyaza Lesufi, Mrs Rosina Sedibane Modiba [the school’s founder], and all the dignitaries,” Mosimane tweeted.

“I am truly motivated by the dedication shown by the department of education and sports. I can’t wait to work with the department on this soccer schools programme.

“I’m so appreciative to have heard the story of Mme Rosina — what a story, it deserves to be known by many. Good luck to the teachers and the SGB [student governing body] of the school, the only way is up. To the learners, as Mr Lesufi said, protect the school and live up to the name Rosina Sedibane Modiba.”

Bestowed with his Caf Pro licence coaching certificate at the SA Football Association’s Safa House headquarters last week Mosimane mentioned his collaboration with Lesufi spoke on his ideas for the way forward for school sport.

The coach is in the process of launching his own schools' football training project.

“I have had meetings with the MEC Lesufi. I am knocking on the right doors to make sure that I am in the space and path. We are talking with Panyaza and we are busy with the manuals and I have the blessings from the federation [Safa],” the former Bafana Bafana coach said.

“I was schooled by Safa — the federation took me to school for six weeks to learn football at the German federation and that was my foundation. I am humbled and thanks to Safa for that.

“One of the methodologies I am using for my schools' sport project I received from Germany through Safa. So it is giving back with the schools’ sport.

“I just need to understand how the Safa structure works for schools because I am only a technician — just the man on the pitch, to train the coaches so that the coaches can train the children the proper way. It’s important to know the fundamentals of how things are done.

“It was said that ‘Mosimane wants to have an academy’. I said, ‘No, I do not want an academy, I want schools’ sports’. I have fought for this to be in my contract with my previous clubs.

“I have blessing from the Safa president Danny Jordaan. Our children are in schools and teams can only have 20 players but what about the whole country and others that play football? We cannot leave them out, this is mass participation and that’s where we are going. If we can get it right in schools, it will be great.”

Mosimane is on a sabbatical before accepting a new job having left Cairo giants Ahly in June.