Panyaza Lesufi ropes in Motsepe Foundation to save School of Excellence

Lesufi told SABC Sport yesterday that, as the provincial government, they cannot afford to see an institution that has produced the crème de la crème of South African football talent evaporate into thin air.

In December, Transnet wrote a letter to SAFA stating that they would be pulling out of their 20-year partnership owing to financial challenges, but Lesufi assures that through the support of the Motsepe Foundation, the School of Excellence is not going anywhere.

"I'm hurt, disappointed to be quite frank. I read about it when I saw it in the media. It's such a huge legacy to just fall like that. But I'm glad that the Motsepe Foundation is willing to come on board. They just need to follow one or two things to be sure," he said.

Panyaza, who also had ties to football as Swallows FC President before stepping down last year, says the current situation of the School of Excellence – an institution that has produced players like Steven Pienaar, Daine Klate, Nkosinathi Nhleko, Gerald Sibeko, Dillon Sheppard, Bernard Parker, and many more former Bafana Bafana stars, pains him. 

"It pains to have huge companies like Transnet pulling out of School of Excellence. We are trying very hard to rescue that school. I was whispering to the president here that we must find a way of working together. I'm obsessed with sports, if I'm being honest. If it wasn't for my work commitment, I would be in Cairo to watch Sundowns," he concluded.