The Premier Of Gauteng Province Panyaza Lesufi made a surprise appearance at Kaizer Chiefs Village for their Soweto Derby press conference on Wednesday morning.
He addressed the media alongside Chiefs head coach Arthur Zwane where he opened the proceedings by thanking the Premier Soccer League (PSL) and Nedbank for going for their bid to host the final of the competition this season at Loftus Versfeld.
It was another surprise, with Gauteng not hosting the tournament for the past three seasons, while the eThekwini Municipality have often secured the rights with the iconic Moses Mabhida Stadium in recent times.
“We’ve been lobbying very hard as Gauteng before even the first ball was kicked for the Nedbank Cup tournament [this season], we’ve been working very hard to get the tournament back in Gauteng,” Lesufi stated in the Nedbank Cup press conference.
“This tournament has been hosted outside Gauteng since 2020, we’re of the view that Gauteng is the home of champions and we dropped the ball of not vigorously campaigning of not having these big tournaments coming to Gauteng.
“We targeted Nedbank specifically because it’s a South African Cup, not some ordinary cup, it’s a South African cup and a gateway to playing into Africa, so we felt if we knock on the appropriate doors, put the necessary pressure, we’ll get the tournament in Gauteng, which we’re expected when the PSL and sponsors agreed to bring it here.
“We’ll be a good host, we’ll release all the necessary support needed from law enforcement and make sure everyone is safe coming to the match and I want to wish Amakhosi and Pirates the best, may the best team go to the final.”
With Lesufi advocating for the investment in sports over the last few months, he shed insight into why it’s become one of their main priorities within office before confirming that they reached an agreement with the South African Football Association for Bafana Bafana games.
“I’m on a strong view that the economy of Gauteng was based on the mines, the mines are [now] gone,” Lesufi added.
“So we need a new fuel to the economy and create an opportunity to create jobs and sports fits nicely in that narrative, I’m of the view that sport is the new economy, if you check the Formula 1, there’s been [contact] about bringing F1 to Gauteng.
“There are people who are trying to bring major tennis players for an exhibition show in Gauteng and if you check the careers that have been created, in football, it’s moved on from just football players, there’s doctors, physios, so there’s a new economy shaping.
“We just need to create the infrastructure so we don’t deteriorate or go back – I was taken aback when I was told Masterpieces Moripe Stadium in Atterigevile is unplayable and they want to shut it down, you can’t and I told the MEC, that pitch must be ready next season.
“Makhulong Stadium in Tembisa, you will be embarrassed, the grass is so long, so we need to make investing as a provincial government and in artificial pitches in strategic areas where sports will assist to create [opportunities]. So it’s an investment to boost our economy [in the long-term] as a province.
“Bafana Bafana, we did the same bid, we said all the games must come here next to the Townships, just to create interest and I was happy that SAFA agreed to that, and all the Bafana Bafana qualifying games will be played here in Gauteng.
“We’re determined as Gauteng to bid for these big tournaments so they can create opportunities and jobs for our people in Gauteng.”
