29 July 2019 — The 2019 SAFA/SAB U21 League National Championship kicked off to a bright start with participating provincial teams showing just how much they want to do well in this year’s tournament.

The first two games saw a total of 7 goals being scored with hosts, North West, starting off their Group A fixtures with a 3-0 hiding over Eastern Cape; while Mpumalanga won 3-1 against USSA.

North West’s Department of Arts, Culture, Sports and Recreation Head of Department, Nono Bapela, stated that her department was happy to have partnered with SAFA in hosting this tournament currently taking place in Mahikeng.

Bapela also added that she believes that great talent will be discovered in this year’s event.  This tournament currently taking place in at the North West University, will run up until 3 August.

“We are very happy to have partnered with SAFA in hosting this year’s Under-21 Championship,” Bapela said. “We are looking forward to a great week of  football, where we believe that great talent will be unearthed in this year’s SAFA/SAB U21 League National Championship edition.

” The department is hosting this tournament having been recently reconfigured from being called the Department of Culture, Art and Traditional Affairs to being called the Department of Arts, Culture, Sports and Recreation,” Bapela added. “And our ambition is to see this partnership producing the youngest talent which will go on to do great things on an international level.”

SAFA North West provincial Chairperson and NEC member, David Molwantwa, echoed Bapela’s sentiments, adding that this tournament will continue to play a key role in unearthing undiscovered football talent in the country.

“We are happy that the North West Department of Arts, Culture, Sports and Recreation came on board to in hosting this tournament,” Molwantwa said. “Not only will it help in identifying and nurturing undiscovered talent we have in the country, however, it will also benefit local businesses as well.

“We also hope that some of these players will be scouted by professional clubs and also graduate into national setups such as our national Under-23s and possibly Bafana Bafana as they continue to evolve in this beautiful game.”