THOHOYANDOU – The office of the MEC for Sports, Arts and Culture, Mr Joe Maswanganyi, has issued a statement congratulating the three Limpopo based Castle Premiership League teams, Dynamos Football Club, Black Leopards Football Club and Highlandspark Silver Stars FC.

In the statement, the MEC praises Dynamos for surviving relegation. Dynamos narrowly escaped relegation in that they finished their league programme in the third spot from the bottom of the log. Their future as one of the affiliates for the Castle Premiership Division was still hanging on the balance until they played their last league match against Silver Stars last Sunday. Dynamos managed to survive relegation, despite losing the match on Sunday.

Hellenic Football Club and Zulu Royals, who were threatening to push Dynamos into the danger zone, had they won their last weekend matches, also donated significant points to their opponents.

In the statement, the MEC again congratulates the Thohoyandou outfit, Black Leopards Football Club, for qualifying to the SAA Supa 8 KO Competition. Black Leopards finished the season in the eighth position with 38 points.

The statement goes on to praise the PSL rookies, Highlandspark Silver Stars Football Club, for reaching the semi-final stage of the Absa Cup KO Competition and the outstanding performance they had shown throughout the long season.

"It is a known and undisputable fact that football elsewhere and in this province brings economic spin-offs to people even outside the football trade. The continued participation of our three teams therefore contributes to the much-needed economic benefits to our people. More than this, it creates bigger possibilities for the young talent in the province to find a home in the professional ranks in any of the three teams more easily," an extract from the statement reads