BY PHUMELELE MKHONTA
MBABANE- A dashing E2million!
This is the amount that the internationally renowned construction company, Inyatsi Construction, injected to COSAFA U20 Championship.
The sponsorship was revealed today and gracing the event was the Minister of Sports, Culture and Youth Affairs, Harries ‘Madze’ Bulunga.
The championship will be held in the country from October 6, 2022 to October 16, 2022 and it will be broadcasted across the continent of Africa and the world.
Worth noting is that this sponsorship comes barely three weeks after the construction company hosted the Inyatsi Nkonyeni G2G MTB CLASSIC 2022.
Inyatsi Construction CEO Derrick Shiba said the company was joining the football fraternity in putting resources together, staging the 2022 COSAFA Under 20 Youth Championships in the beautiful Kingdom of Eswatini.
“As a company operating in nine African countries namely Eswatini, Namibia, Mozambique, Zambia, Malawi, Ivory Coast, South Africa, Uganda and Lesotho, we are delighted to be part of this epoch-making event.
“Football is a community sport, and we see our involvement as an opportunity to empower the youth in the African continent because football in particular is a popular sport,” said Shiba.
Shiba went on to say the COSAFA Under-20 Youth Championships was a youth tournament which spoke to development of the game and to them; this ticked all the boxes as a company because they were for development and growth.
“Through this tournament we hope we can unearth the future Kalusha Bwayla’s (Chipolopolo), Benedict McCarthy’s (Bafana), Jean-Mac Ithier’s (Club M), Lehlonoholo Seema’s (Lekwena Lekwena), Tico Tico Bucuane’s ( Black Mambas) , Siza ‘King Pele’ Dlamini’s (Sihlangu Semnikati), Joseph Kamwendo’s (The Flames).
These are players who have shone brightly in yesteryears and some even went to play in Europe and put Africa as a whole on top of the international football map,” said the CEO.
The 12 countries who will participate in the tournament are Eswatini (host), Botswana, Lesotho, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, Malawi, Comoros, Angola, South Africa, Namibia, and Zambia. Some of these countries is where Inyatsi Construction has a footprint.
“We are aware that the competition, to run from October 6 to October 16 in the country, will act as a Zonal Qualifier for the Under-20 Cup of Nations to be held in Egypt from February/March next year, where the two finalists this year set to advance to the continental showpiece.
“This should be a big motivating factor for all 12 countries who will take part in this year’s tournament. Inyatsi Construction has pledged a sum of E2 million towards hosting of this year’s 2022 COSAFA Under-20 Youth Championships,” revealed Shiba.
He went on to say their sister company, Eswatini Mobile, would be the official Communications Sponsor.
Shiba then thanked Eswatini Football Association (EFA) for engaging them to be part of such a prestigious event.
“We believe the return of the tournament means all 12 teams will return with renewed vigour and commitment to put up a brilliant show this year. Mozambique are the defending champions and we wish all 12 teams all the best. Let us kick in,” he concluded.
