Limpopo Soccer Challenge

This event was initiated by Limpopo Tourism and Parks (LTP) three years ago with the main aim of positioning Limpopo as an ultimate sporting destination of choice and preparing the Province for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Most importantly an event such as this is used to try and assess the ability of the tourism facilities of the province and in particular that of the host city, Polokwane to accommodate the multitudes of people.

In 2007 LTP embarked on a physical product audit in an effort to determine if the Province meets the FIFA World Cup 2010 requirements in terms of beds.

The findings of the audit revealed that the province has almost 33 000 beds which are adequate for the envisaged numbers. Polokwane itself has 4 200 as opposed to the required 19 000, but if a 100 km radius is taken, the city meets and exceeds this estimate by far.

This will surely ensure that the spread of tourists will not be limited to the city center but they will have an opportunity to enjoy sights and sounds beyond our capital.

The Limpopo Soccer Challenge will serve as a build up program towards 2010 and will remain as a legacy programs from this world event. As such our province will continue to organize and support such events.

This year’s soccer challenge will be a soccer spectacle between our very own Black Leopards (Li do da Duvha), Dynamos FC, Winners’s Park FC and our visitors Mamelodi Sundowns .

The format of tournament is as follows:

• 1st Match: Dynamos FC v/s Winners Park FC
• 2nd Match: Winner of 1st Match v/s Black Leopards
• 3rd Match: Winner of 2nd Match v/s Mamelodi Sundowns FC

“The defending champions, and Limpopo outfit Black Leopards, will be out to parade their new signings and give their fans a taste of the entertaining brand of soccer that they will deliver during the new season.

The event will also promote the province as the leading eco-tourism destination and position it as an ultimate sports destination of choice” said Benny Boshielo, CEO of Limpopo Tourism and Parks.

This year’s event will be a three game tournament starting at 09h00 the morning and the final game scheduled for 15h00. These are teams that continue to do our province proud by sticking to their guns under very tough economic circumstances.

It is through games such as these that these team are at times guaranteed a chance to show case their skill and prowess to a larger number of spectators than usual. “Soccer fans and supporters alike will be treated to a vibrant live entertainment throughout the day with the likes of “Chomee”, “Mafikizolo” and “DJ Cleo” to mention but few” says Boshielo.

These games on annual basis manage to boost in a small way the local economy in that there will be an opportunity for locals to rent stalls and sell their wares to the patrons of the games. These small businesses benefit from the tournament and we have noticed an increase in the variety of the wares that are sold at these games.

It is our firm believe that in some corners of our economy, jobs are being created or sustained out of these kiosks.

The impact on the local tourism industry will also be assessed during this years’ challenge in preparation for the FIFA World Cup in 2010. The results of the survey will then be used to assess tourism growth out of this and other such events in the province.

In order to encourage the movement of people and the use of tourism facilities, we will also encourage tour operators to prepare packages for the Limpopo Soccer Challenge and we as LTP will assist in marketing them, were possible. The event was launched on Monday the 7th July 2008 at Meropa Casino and Entertainment World’s Jembe Tavern.

This event is made possible by the following sponsors and partners:

• Limpopo Tourism & Parks - The mandate of the LTP is to promote, foster and develop tourism to and within the Limpopo Province. -
• Limpopo Economic Development Agency - is a social and economic development Enterprise, operating within the Limpopo Province. As such, LimDev delivers the following key services to its constituency: Enterprise development, Housing finance and assistance, Mining, Public transport, Investments and other projects
• Capricorn District Municipality - CDM is a Category C Municipality established in terms of the provisions of the constitution of South Africa, Municipal Demarcation Act (Act No.27 of 1998), Municipal Structures Act (Act No.17 of 1998) and the Municipal Systems Act (Act No.32 of 2000). It directly serves communities in five Category B Municipalities: Aganang, Blouberg, Lepelle-Nkumpi, Molemole and Polokwane.
• Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) - Its purpose is to accelerate sustainable socio-economic development by funding physical, social and economic infrastructure. DBSA’s goal is to improve the quality of life of the people of the region.
• Trade and Investment Limpopo – is the official agency for the Limpopo Provincial Government to market the potential and investment opportunities of South Africa’s most Northern Province to local, national and international business communities.
• Limpopo Business Support Agency – Central to the mandate of LIBSA, it is its role to promote enterprises in the sectors of Mining, Tourism, Agriculture, Manufacturing and Construction and Information Communication Technology into the mainstream economy. To this end LIBSA appreciates that the success of the institution to drive economic development in the lifeblood of enterprises lies in its ability to grow organically in terms of Geographic Spread, Research and Development, Information Management Systems and Skilled Human Element.
• Lahom Clothing Concepts – black-owned top class clothing store located at Standard Bank Square in Polokwane. “We view the Limpopo Soccer Challenge as a premiere regional event that will give us the positioning and profiling deserved as one of the host provinces of the FIFA 2010 World Cup and project Limpopo as the eco-tourism destination of choice in Southern Africa

Boshielo says. The challenge is billed to take place as follows:

Date : 20 JULY 2008 Venue: Peter Mokaba Stadium, Polokwane Limpopo

Time : 08h00 Tickets are available at Computicket and Shoprite Checkers @ R35 grand stand, R20 for adults and R15 juveniles. Tickets will only be sold at designated outlets and no tickets will be sold at the Stadium.

A pre party is arranged for the 19th July 2008 at Miami Estate. The following Artists and DJ are expected to perform: DJ Cleo, DJ Problem Child, DJ Beef, DJ Sucka V, Bleksem and Maduvha. More information can be obtained from our Head Office and regional offices.