School of Excellence return to good old days with nationwide trials

Financial difficulties in the last few years have prevented the School of Excellence from conducting their traditional nationwide talent search.

However, the schools’ head of technical Mojalefa Mathebula has told SABC Sport that Transnet has come on board to assist with the much-needed funding this year.

"We are also fortunate that we were given funds by Transnet to do trials, so from 15 [February], we're doing inland provinces – Mpumalanga, Limpopo, Free State, and North West," said Mathebula.

"And then the following week we're doing coastal – Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Northern Cape, and then KwaZulu-Natal, and from there, those shortlisted will also be combined with the current group, and we'll then be able to take a final list [of selection]."

The school came very close to closing last year, as Transnet threatened to pull out, but after SABC Sport highlighted its plight, the state freight logistics company, which has financially supported the school since its inception in 1994, opted to stay. 

The school operates on a month-to-month funding arrangement, and Mathebula says this is one of the reasons they are running these trials when schools have already opened.

"While it's unfortunate that this is not the ideal way of doing trials – we were supposed to have done this process last year, so that by December the kids already know they are coming," he acknowledged.

"These were matters beyond our control and we have to expedite the current process, but our plan is to ensure that before the first term ends, we have those players in camp – latest when the second term begins, so they don't miss a big chunk of the academic year."

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