Ululations, clapping hands and dancing joyful songs were the order of the night on Friday, December11, at the Khoroni hotel, when two achievers of the Vhembe District were honoured at a gala evening by the Thohoyandou branch of the Black Management Forum.

The two, the president of the South African Football Association (Safa), Mr Kirsten Nematandani, and MEC for Public Works, Mr George Phadagi, could not hide their joy when dancing with the well wishers. Nematandani was remembered for his new appointment to the highest position in South African soccer, while Phadagi is the new MEC for Public Works. Their appointments coincided in September this year. Both were born and bred in the Vhembe District and the management felt it was of significance to honour and celebrate their appointments.

Speaker after speaker started his speech by saying “we are proud of you, keep it up, we will stand by our home boys”.

Nematandani urged people to be united and support Bafana Bafana during their FIFA World Cup campaign next year. “It is through unity that we can achieve most of our goals,” he said. Nematandani added that plans were underway to construct an artificial football pitch at the Rabali Stadium in Nzhelele area as part of the major objectives for the 2010 FIFA World Cup to leave a lasting legacy of world-class sporting in South Africa.

He added that Safa was also planning to honour the late Lesley Manyathela of Musina for his contribution to improve the soccer fra-ternity.

MEC for Public Works George Phadagi urged organizations such as the Black Management Forum to help create jobs for the poor communities around the area. He said that his department was determined to refurbish government hospitals and schools completely before the end of the financial year. “We encourage our communities keep our environment clean and to plant trees as part of greening our areas. People like to live in a clean environment,” Phadagi said.

He said his department had recently collected more than R2 million from different organizations and businesspeople wishing to help with the greening project in the communities.

According to Phadagi, his department is regarded as the delivery arm of the government and other departments are waiting to see how they implement better service delivery.

The chairperson of the Black Management Forum in the Limpopo province, Ms Koko Khumalo, said the appointment of two sons of the Vhembe District was proof that to be born in poor rural communities did not mean one could not reach the sky if he or she was determined.

Ms Khumalo was among the well-known dignitaries, such as the deputy president of Safa, Mr Mandla Mazibuko, and Dr John Mudau, chairperson of the BMF in Thohoyandou, who attended the gala evening.