7 October 2019 – The South African Football Association (SAFA) and the South African Senior Men’s National Team, Bafana Bafana, visited the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital (NMCH), the flagship project of the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund (the Fund). This is ahead of the annual Nelson Mandela Challenge where the team will be playing in an international friendly match against Mali.
This will be the first time the nations clash in this competition.
Nelson Mandela Bay City will host this iconic match which coincides with the stadium’s 10-year anniversary. SAFA has earmarked the benefits from the challenge to be donated to the Fund, through this, the non-profit organisation will be able to reach more communities, transform families and save more children’s lives.
Sibongile Mkhabela, Chief Executive Officer of the Fund, welcomed the visit and the gesture further calling on the people of Nelson Mandela Bay and South Africa to support this great initiative by filling up the stadium.
“Sport has an innate ability to unite any country to reignite the shared vision of winning. The Nelson Mandela Challenge has always stood to celebrate this spirit of championship, patriotism, unity and charity,” said Mkhabela. “We thank the South African Football Association for supporting our work and contributing towards ensuring more children live and thrive.”.
The Nelson Mandela Challenge is in its 25thyear partnership with SAFA where it has been benefitting the important work of the Fund. The annual football spectacle honours the memory of the late former South African State President Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela.
“What is even more pleasing is that this match comes barely a few months after Banyana Banyana stole the hearts of the fans when they won the COSAFA Cup in Nelson Mandela Bay, and we are confident Bafana Bafana will continue from where the Senior Women’s National Team left off,” said SAFA president Dr Danny Jordaan.
The clash against Mali takes place on Sunday, 13 October 2019, with kickoff scheduled for 15h00.
CEO of NMCH, Dr Mandisa Maholwana, said, “We would like to thank Bafana Bafana for making the time to pay a visit to the hospital and hope that the team will be back soon to spread more cheer and excitement to our patients and our staff whose daily mission is to make sure our children can also grow up to be the soccer stars of tomorrow.”
Tickets will be on sale for R40 for adults and R20 for children under the age of 12 years and can be purchased at Computicket, Checkers and Shoprite.
For more information on how you can donate to NMCH, please visit https://www.nelsonmandelachildrenshospital.org/donations/
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About NMCH
On June 21, the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital (NMCH) celebrated 2 years since opening. NMCH is now the second dedicated children’s hospital in Southern Africa and treats children in need of surgical and life-saving interventions as a result of complex illnesses. NMCH offers the following critical services: Neonatal and Paediatric Intensive Care Units (the largest in the country), Cardiology, Cardiothoracic Surgery, Neurosurgery, General Surgery as well as Renal Services supported by Diagnostic Radiology, Anaesthesia and Allied Health Services.
Issued by the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital
For media enquiries, please contact:
Ayabulela Poro
Tel: 011 274 5600
Visit www.nelsonmandelachildrenshospital.org.zafor more details.