This Mandela Day, Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM) along with amaKhosi collaborated to bring hope to Mzansi’s future generation of soccer stars.
With TSAM sponsoring the Kaizer Chiefs sleeve, the initiative aims to reach out to the community and turn the sleeve sponsorship into a more literal takeout of wearing one's heart on their sleeve. The Toyota Hearts on Sleeve initiative, in partnership with Kaizer Chiefs, focuses on helping local organisations with a passion for uplifting their communities namely, Alex Royal Tigers and Zola Sports Facility.
“We are so proud to have a partner like Toyota who helps us to put our hearts on our sleeves. When there is commitment, leadership, and dedication, things happen. We are about the community and making sure the next talented players have a chance, a place, and a home. We want to change the lives of the people on the ground,” says Kaizer Chiefs Marketing Director, Jessica Motaung.
Based in Alex and with a holistic approach to development, the Alex Royal Tigers is a soccer club that takes boys and girls off the streets, away from the many social issues that plague the community. Founder, Thembinkosi ‘Tiger’ Matholengwe, had a dream to create a brand with a visionary outlook on life. The club calls on the intervention and support of stakeholders, social workers and the community at large. To date, Alex Royal Tigers has sent 3 boys to study at Boston City College, Wits and UJ.
To support their efforts, full soccer kits including soccer balls and other equipment were donated to the Alex Royal Tigers.
“I recognise the challenges and hardships that many of these young men and women face, and I believe that Alex Royal Tigers can be a source of hope and inspiration in their lives,” says Thembinkosi Matholengwe.
The Zola Sports Facility is a registered NGO in Soweto that hosts school leagues, a police league and a hospitality league as well as various other fixtures during the week and over the weekend. Veli Mthsali has been running the facility for the past 18 years. The facility plays an important role in keeping many kids away from gang activity and keeps them engaged in sports.
The Toyota Hearts on Sleeve initiative hosted a “maintenance day” and coaching clinic at the facility with select members of the Kaizer Chiefs team and coaching staff in tow. Full soccer kits were donated including soccer balls while a team of experts were brought in to do much needed plumbing as well as electrical and structural maintenance.
“I have been working as a volunteer at this sports facility since its inception 18 years ago. Sports has always been in my blood, and I am committed to supporting the Zola Sports Facility in whatever capacity,” says Veli Mtshali.
And in true Glamour Boy style, team members celebrated the revamped Zola Sports Facility by holding a coaching clinic, where they put the kids through their paces while Alex Royal Tigers were invited to the KC Village for their coaching clinic as they currently don’t have a base for operations.