She taught at an impoverished primary school for years. When the political bug bit her, she left teaching and followed a political career. She is now a member of the Limpopo Legislature on a Congress of the People's  ticket.

She is aware of the difficulties that are faced by rural pupils...

COPE MPL Tshilidzi Ravhuanzwo has not forgotten her roots. When she got the chance, she ploughed back into her former school, Maniini Primary School. Last week she went back to her school and donated a soccer kit to empoverished boys.

Handing over the kit, the politician made it clear that the kit was not a political point scoring. “I am a politician, but this has nothing to do with politics. I used to be a teacher here and I know the situation," she said.

Ravhuanzwo said sport had a special place in her heart. “I studied sport at college and I know what sport does to a human being. This is a way of promoting the spirit of sportsmanship in pupils,” she said.

She said pupils who were participating in sport tended to perform better in class. “There is a lot of talent in the rural areas. It needs to be nurtured and, who knows, we might have some stars unearthed from this part of the country," she said.

She added that she would not only focus on soccer, but would also look at other sporting codes such as rugby and tennis.

Receiving the kit, the deputy principal at the school, Mr Mulatedzi Mukhumo, said it  was always demotivating for the pupils to play other schools barefoot. He said the school was poor as many parents were not employed and many families in the village were headed by children.