MBABANE – Senator Tony Sibandze has done it again.
The renowned senator has officially dropped a massive E400 000 sponsorship bombshell to launch the highly-anticipated Sicalisa Foundation Pre-Season Tournament. The prestigious launch event on Saturday featured the Minister for Sports, Culture and Youth Affairs, Bongani Nzima, underlining the immense national significance of the initiative.
According to Nhlanhla ‘Rufus’ Dlamini, the Sicalisa Foundation Projects Manager and tournament Public Relations Officer (PRO), this lucrative package represents one of the most substantial private financial boosts for grassroots and developmental sport in recent memory.
Dlamini highlighted that the sponsorship is specifically designed to fine-tune local teams ahead of a gruelling upcoming 2026/27 campaign. “The Sicalisa Foundation through Senator Tony Sibandze has sponsored the East Zone under Mpolonjeni Inkhundla to the tune of E400 000 to be played over three seasons,” Dlamini said.
He revealed that for the upcoming season, 20 teams will compete for a share of E150 000 with the eventual champions set to pocket E10 000.
“The 18 teams from the regional league and two from the super league have been presented with full sets of football kits and each team will receive an E2 000 participation fee,” he added.
The PRO also disclosed that the teams have warmly welcomed the sponsorship, delighted by the prospect of playing for E150 000 over three months. The deal has been described as the first-of-its-kind within the Lubombo Regional Football Association (LRFA).
Meanwhile, Senator Sibandze said that the Sicalisa Foundation is well-known for its charitable work in surrounding communities. He revealed that he sponsored the tournament with E20 000 last year and explained that because the local league at Mpolonjeni Inkhundla is currently in its off-season, teams had approached them requesting sponsorship to keep players active rather than lying idle over the next three months.
“When they motivated the request, we looked at the social impact of the games as the youth is spared from a lot of ills. The foundation’s Board then decided that we approve the request,” Sibandze said.
He also stated that the board decided to present the 20 teams with soccer kits, balls and an E1 000 registration fee. He added that the teams were also given a participation fee so that they could prepare for the pre-season tournament.
He further stated that the games kicked off last weekend where some teams were eliminated and the foundation requested teams to exhibit sportsmanship so that they can continue sponsoring them.
Sibandze further revealed that they have also sponsored the community girls with E10 000 for netball and are currently engaging on having a tournament for Lutsango.
