LEOPARD STAR NETS E10 000 BURSARY

MBABANE – At just 15 years, Royal Leopard’s Under-17 star Mangaliso Dube already has a story to tell.

The St John Bosco High School pupil earned himself the bursary award from Build it stores after shining in last year’s under-13 development tournament. He also was selected along with four others to represent the country in the ‘Future Stars’ search programme by South Africa’s Amazulu last December.

Dube travelled to the five-day long training camp where they joined over 7 000 other youngsters selected from all Build it stores in Southern Africa. He and his four compatriots were further selected into the top 28 best future stars.

Humbled

“I am so humbled by this award. I had never thought I would get to this but I already have seen other places outside the country through football and now this. It will help my parents who are also very supportive of me and brother’s football talent,” said the young and shy Dube who is doing Form I along with his equally talented brother Vunokuhle (13 years old) who also travelled to the Russia World Cup last June through his football exploits.

Dube, who was in the company of his father, was presented with the award at Sigwaca House yesterday afternoon before the official presentation took place at the Mbabane Build it store. This was in the presence of Eswatini Football Association (EFA) President Adam ‘Bomber’ Mthethwa, Chief Executive Officer Frederick Mngomezulu and Build it stores’ Director in Eswatini Sam Essa as well as Anton Wassenaar, who is Regional Manager for Build it in Eswatini, Mozambique and Mbombela (South Africa) among others.

“I want to thank my coach, Leopard, the EFA, Build it and my father who can afford everything I need for football including soccer boots. Since it’s only me and my brother, he and mum are very supportive,” he said, before adding that he looked up to stars like Leopard’s Zweli ‘Mlilo’ Nxumalo and Barcelona’s Lionel Messi for inspiration and will consider playing for Amazulu first when he gets professional.

Gratitude

His father Vincent expressed his utmost gratitude about the award and said the EFA president was right to say his son ‘already has a story to tell’ as he personally never dreamt about the places his sons have been to and never got the opportunity to play organised football like them despite the talent coming from him.
“Both my sons are in Form I in the same school, which requires E7 200 per year so you can see how helpful this will be. Thanks to football and Build it. I can assure them now that whatever my boys need, they will always get to better their career and the good thing is they are also focused in school,” he said as he explained education was first, then football.

Anton presented the award along with a branded Build it Under-13 jacket and said through the Build it under-13s, youngsters saw their dreams come true and that was what Build it was about, not just cement and building material. He said even scouts came to the games and saw the talent.

“In Africa, we play football. That is our game. Let us continue to organise it with passion and invest in it. At Build it, we invest in football for the youth. So, it is not only about cement and bricks but about our people. We are therefore excited to once again, congratulate and award the Player of the Day of the National Tournament of 2018. Well done to our young achiever, Mangaliso Dube,” he said.

Levels

Meanwhile, Mthethwa also thanked Build it for partnering with them since 2006 and observed as per his role as CEO that the programme had already produced quality players in all national levels and continued to thrive as it also bore a partnership with Amazulu through Build it.
“Football has done a lot for the people in it and they all have stories to tell. I have my own story to tell about football and now this is one for Mangaliso,” Mthethwa said.

He said it was amazing that even the other youngster they sent to Russia last June was Mangaliso’s brother and congratulated their father for the talent in his boys.

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