Pitso Mosimane, the renowned South African football coach, is set to make a significant return to his ‘roots’ in Mamelodi this Sunday.
The occasion marks the first time Mosimane will visit the newly refurbished PMFC Mamelodi Grounds, a project undertaken by the Pitso Mosimane Foundation in collaboration with local authorities. The aim is to transform the grounds into a thriving hub for youth football development.
The day’s events will feature games for various age groups, ranging from U7 to U15, at the Rethabile Mini Sports Grounds in Mamelodi East. Mosimane’s connection to Mamelodi runs deep, having been involved with Mamelodi Sundowns on multiple occasions throughout his career. He reflected on his history with the club, recalling his presence during various ownership transitions and his intimate knowledge of the club’s development over the years.
“You know, I’ve been to Mamelodi Sundowns three times,” said Mosimane, who hails from Kagiso. “The first was when Zola Mahube bought the team from Dr Motsiri Itsweng and Dr [Bonny] Sebotsane. I just came in when the transition happened with Jazzy Queen, Mike Ntombela and Mike Mangena.
“We saw the Doctor Sebotsane [era], and they were handing it over. Trott Moloto was there. Malombo Lechaba and Alex Shakoane.
“The second time I went was during the Natasha Tsichlas era, and the last part was when the Motsepe family took over Sundowns, this time as a coach.“
WHY IS PITSO MOSIMANE EXCITED ABOUT RETURNING TO MAMELODI?
Mosimane emphasised the importance of Mamelodi as a footballing region, highlighting its rich history and the abundance of talent that has emerged from the township. He shared his experiences playing in HM Pitje Stadium and being part of a team coached by Ted Dimitri that won three consecutive league titles. Mosimane pointed out that many key players on that team were Mamelodi natives, underscoring the area’s significance in nurturing footballing talent.
“Back to Mamelodi, that’s why I go back to Mamelodi. I’ve played in HM Pitje. I’ve been in a team coached by Ted Dimitru that won three league titles in a row.
“I was player-coach with Augustine Makhalakhalane. We had five starters in that team that won the league who come from Mamelodi.”
Joel “Fire” Masilela and Solly Petla were some of the Mamelodi natives on the team.
“There were five guys from Mamelodi and they won the premier league three times in a row, so what does it tell you about Mamelodi as a region?
“Now it’s grown. It’s a big, big township. So I said let’s go back to Mamelodi. There’s a facility that we can upgrade. We spent a lot of money to get it where it is.
“It’s not exactly where we want it to be. But we spent money so that we give children an opportunity to play. And children want to play football in a township.”
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