SHAYANDIMA - The community of Shayandima was overjoyed during the official opening of the Peoples Bank Shayandima Sports Centre in Shayandima on Monday.

The Peoples Bank sponsored the sports facilities with an amount of R200 000, and at present the centre is catering for tennis, volleyball and netball.

According to a spokesperson of the project steering committee, Mr Mulimisi Muneri, this is the first phase and preliminary stage of the project and they still going to do more than this. He said their plan is to raise R2,4 million that will enable them to build facilities for different sporting codes' courts, a mini hall with dressing rooms, mini multi-purpose stands, a soccer and a rugby field.

"We struggled high and low until we reached our donors (Peoples Bank), and they heard of our problem and they decided to fund us.

Mandla Zwane, the government affairs and corporate citizenship officer of Peoples Bank, said his company feels great and happy to sponsor a dedicated and passionate community of Shayandima's caliber.

He said Peoples Bank supports sports and community development projects. "Our company has passion and innovation, and wants to see sports going smoothly for all people. You must keep in mind that a sporting nation is a healthy nation, while on the other side, a child in sport, is a child free from crime. You must look after the sports facility, don't vandalise it, it is your property," said Zwane.

The chairperson of South African National Civics Organisation (Sanco) in Shayandima and the Sanco Thulamela sub-region chairperson, Progress Kutama, said he was over the moon about the commitment the bank had made to their community. "We are still looking for other things like admin blocks, lights, roof, fencing and many things. We salute you, and your good helping hand will always be remembered by us," said Kutama. He also added that he thanks the Thulamela municipality for approving their application.

On behalf of the Machuele Semenya, Limpopo MEC of Sports, Arts and Culture, the chairperson of portfolio committee on Sports, Arts and Culture and MPL, Dr Tienie Burgers, said he saluted the bank for intervening in community projects. He said that the government needed for companies to involve themselves in building the community.

"I believe that the availability of this sports centre will groom many stars like Serena and Venus Williams and many other sports stars," he said. Thovhele Midiyavhathu Kennedy Tshivhase said he was grateful for what the bank did for the Shayandima community. And as such, he said the community must in return support the bank, using it for all the financial services they might have in the future.

"This is the right company to support, as they care about us and the future of our youth," said Thovhele Tshivhase.