28 September 2017 – Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, once said that ‘sport is a preserver of health’. It is with this idea in mind that Clinix Health Group, along with Soweto Football Association (SFA), launched the 2017 Clinix Stix Morewa Soccer Challenge on Wednesday, 27 September.
The event was attended by Dr KOP Matseke, CEO of Clinix Health Group, Dennis Mumble, CEO of the South African Football Association (SAFA), as well as Dr Robin Peterson, CEO of SAFA Development Agency. Representing the Morewa family was his son, Bobby Morewa.
The tournament will run from Sunday, 1 October to Sunday, 26 November – with the finals staged at the Nike Football Training Centre in Soweto.
This year will mark the 13th anniversary of the Soccer Challenge, that has been held in remembrance of Solomon ‘Stix’ Morewa. Not only was he once South African Football Association’s (SAFA) President, but he was also Clinix Health Group’s Marketing Manager before his passing. His belief that grass roots football would help get children off the streets and encourage them to achieve their dreams is one of the reasons why Clinix Health Group began the Soccer Challenge.
The tournament has not only grown in stature but has also exposed new talent that is now playing in various Premier Soccer League teams and even for the South African Senior Men’s National Team, Bafana Bafana.
This year there will be over 56 teams playing in the men’s teams and 24 female teams (both open and under 15 teams) – which makes it a total of 1200 teams.
Dr Khamane ‘KOP’ Matseke the CEO of Clinix Health Group and a close friend of ‘Stix’ Morewa is very enthusiastic about this year’s Challenge.
“Clinix has been hosting the Challenge over the last 13 years not only to celebrate a legacy but also to make sure that we help feed talent into SAFA and the PSL. Stix believed that football in South Africa could only be improved with tournaments such as this – in grass roots football where we find diamonds in the rough and help develop their talent,” said Dr Matseke.
HEALTHY PLAYER, SUCCESFUL PLAYER:
The link between a health group and a soccer tournament is not anything surprising to SFA Chairman, Phil Mogodi. ‘It is important that we encourage our youth to steer away from negative influences and choose to lead healthy lives. A sport like football not only encourage youth to live a healthy lifestyle but it also encourages teamwork and goal setting,” said Mogodi.
Bobby Morewa thanked Clinix for keeping the legacy of their father alive.
“Our family is happy to see that my father’s legacy is celebrated in this way. We would like to thank Dr Matseke and Clinix Health Group for supporting this Challenge, something that would have made our father proud,” said Morewa.
Played under the auspices of the Soweto Football Association, which is affiliated to SAFA, the three-month long Stix Morewa Tournament is split into six divisions: Under 9, under 11, under 13, under 15, under 17 and Seniors. It is open to all Soweto SAFA-affiliated youth soccer teams. The women’s section is divided into U13, U15 and the Seniors.
COMMUNITY HOSPITALS:
As a group, Clinix strives to get involved in the communities that its hospitals serve, and in Soweto it has two of its flagship hospitals – Clinix Tshepo-Themba Private Hospital and Dr SK Matseke Memorial Hospital (previously Lesedi).
Clinix Tshepo-Themba Private Hospital has been providing quality private healthcare to the surrounding communities since 1995 and Dr SK Matseke Memorial Hospital, was Soweto’s first hospital in 1985. Dr SK Matseke Memorial Hospital provides expert healthcare and medical treatment across an extensive range of services. The hospital is undergoing a R230-million facelift and once completed, will be one of the first in Africa to introduce a new imported hybrid catherisation laboratory (cath lab) theatre system, which will provide the community with outstanding cardiology and vascular services. It recently opened three new wards to the public. Many of our community soccer stars have grown up with these hospitals and still support them today.
DR SK MATSEKE OPENS NEW UNITS – CHANGING THE LANDSCAPE OF HEALTHCARE IN SOWETO SINCE 1985
On the 6th of September 2017, the Dr SK Matseke Memorial Hospital in Diepkloof unveiled their new units and wards to the public. To date, the hospital has opened a new 14-bed NICU (Neonatal ICU), a 10-bed Adult ICU, new kitchen and staff dining quarters, as well as a new technical department.
The opening was officiated by Clinix Health Group board members Mr Karl Heinz-Kolz and Dr Ayanda Ntsaluba. They took members of the press, Clinix stakeholders, doctors, board members and members of the Matseke family on a walk about through the following brand new units and wards:
- A 31-bed paediatric unit, including a 4-bed isolation unit. The unit has been designed to stimulate Clinix’ s younger patients. Each room/ward cubicle is themed with a modern vibrant colour palette that mixes soft accent yellows with natural base colours. Clinix has utilised only the best materials to create a unit that will survive the trends that pass each year. It has also opted to not create a space that mirrors a standard clinical environment- but rather create a homely space that is warmer and more interactive for patients.
- A new medical ward on the first floor which is a 30-bed unit that will temporarily be the home to the Hospital’s existing maternity unit whilst they renovate the existing one to the same standard. This unit is the new female medical ward and Clinix opted for a soft feminine palette throughout. The space has two private wards, and all other wards have a maximum of three beds in each ward cubicle with an en-suite bathroom servicing each ward cubicle individually.
- A new surgical ward on Second floor is a new 30-bed unit serviced by two lifts in a spacious entrance foyer. The space has 2 private wards; and all other wards have a maximum of 3 beds in each ward cubicle with an en-suite bathroom servicing each ward cubicle individually. There is a mix of both showers and baths in the unit, to cater for different patients’ needs and preferences.
- A new 24-hour accident and Emergency unit will soon be opening to service the hospital’s casualty cases. The unit is double the size of the existing facility and has been designed with integrated patient-flow in mind. The unit has a direct link to the radiology department, which in turn is directly connected to the theatre complex. The unit has ample space to service more than 10 emergency patients at any given time.
- A new radiology unit; operated by DRS MASHAO & DZICHAUYA, is a state of the art facility with specialist diagnostic and screening equipment that include an MRI, a new CT scanner, various X-ray machines, and a mammogram to name a few. The unit has been carefully planned with the end user in mind, and offers a calming and relaxing atmosphere for patients. The unit is connected to the theatre unit, offering surgical staff immediate access to an emergency theatre case.
The radiology department will also have access to utilise the brand new C-Arms, which are medical imaging devices named because of their C-shape, in the hybrid cath labs when they are commissioned
- The first floor of their new admissions building will include an entire floor dedicated to mother and child health. The floor offers nine new Dr consultation suites that have been ideally designed to complement pregnant moms and provide specialist health to newborn babies. There will also be a mother and child centre that will include nursing services, vaccination services, as well as studio spaces for onsite antenatal classes. This unit has been carefully designed to promote and service Clinix health Group’s new maternity and birthing packages.
- The second floor of this building will offer super specialist practitioners spaces to consult and operate from. The spaces are light and airy, creating both comfort and ambiance.
“We are trying as a group to change the landscape of healthcare in communities such as Soweto,’ said Clinix Health Group CEO and founder, Dr Khamane ‘KOP’ Matseke. “Initiatives such as this one make sure that top quality healthcare is attainable to our people.”