BAFANA BAFANA TO TAKE ON THE PHAROAHS IN THE NELSON MANDELA CHALLENGE

The South African Football Association today announced that an International Friendly Charity match between the Senior National Teams of South Africa and Egypt will take place at Griffin Park, Brentford in London. The game is scheduled for Wednesday 15th November 2006, at 20h00. This match is to honour His Excellency, Nelson Mandela, in support of the “Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund”.

Egypt, the current African Champions are expected to provide tough opposition for South Africa, hosts of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ - the first African country to do so. Having met seven times since South Africa’s re-admission in 1992, South Africa leads the winning stakes 4 - 3. Bafana Bafana’s wins were: 2–0 in 1995; 2-1 in 1998; 1-0 in 2001; 2-1 in 2006. Egypt has won the following matches: 1-0 in 1996 (the only country to defeat South Africa during the Africa Cup of Nations that was eventually won by Bafana Bafana); 2-0 in 1998; 2-1 in 2003. All these matches have been tightly contested affairs and the expectation is for the same to happen in the forthcoming match.

Co-Coaches Khabo Zondo and Pitso Mosimane announced a Team that includes top international players like the captain, Aaron Mokoena of Blackburn Rovers in England; Siyabonga Nomvete, based in Aalborg, Denmark; Sibusiso Zuma and Steven Pienaar play in Germany for Arminia Bielefeld and Borussia Dortmund respectively, etc. These players have been mixed with local-based players like: Rowen Fernandez of Kaizer Chiefs; Siphiwe Tshabalala of Free State Stars; Ricardo Katza of Supersport United; Mlungisi Gumbi of Golden Arrows, etc. A new call-up for Matthew Pattison who plays for Newcastle United in England has been made.

Egypt is expected to also bring an equally formidable squad capable of maintaining their mantle as Champions of Africa.

Proceeds from this match will be donated to the worthy cause of the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund as it has been done in the past.

According to the Chief Executive Officer of the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund, Sibongile Mkhabela, “The staging of the annual Nelson Mandela Challenge match represents our proud association with the South African Football Association (SAFA) in bringing awareness to the work we do on behalf of children and youth, both in the sporting fraternity and the general public locally and internationally.

As the standing beneficiary of the Tournament, National Teams that have featured against our National Team, Bafana Bafana, have not only brought cheer to soccer-loving spectators but also assisted to use the good game as a tool to spread the message of goodwill in as far as children’s well being and youth development is concerned.

The acceptance by the Pharaohs of Egypt to pit their skills against South Africa’s Bafana Bafana fits well within the spirit of renaissance that is sweeping the continent. And staging the tournament in London, featuring two teams from the continent, helps to extend this message of goodwill as well as raise global awareness of the organisation’s development objectives.