Years of hard work and dedication have finally paid off for a talented local soccer player, Thendo Mukumela. Mukumela, who resides at Ngwenani ya Themeli village outside Thohoyandou, was part of the South African National U/17 soccer team which took part in the Four Nations tournament which was staged in Windhoek, Namibia, last week.

Mukumela featured in all four matches his team played in the tournament. He scored the winning goal in their losers’ final match against Namibia, whom they beat 2-1. The local lads drew 1-1 with Namibia in the opening match. Their second match was against Germany, to whom they lost 0-3. They lost by the same margin to Ghana in their third match.

Germany beat Ghana 1-0 in the final. When asked about his dreams as a football player, Mukumela said that his aim was to play for Bafana Bafana one day. He described his call-up to the national U/17 team, or Amajimbos, as a step in the right direction towards his dream of becoming a regular Bafana Bafana player.

Mr Mboniso Ndlovu, a sports and recreation teacher at Thohoyandou Technical High School, where Mukumela is in Grade 10, said that not only he, but the whole management and staff were proud of Mukumela. Thendo plays for the MMK Funeral Services League side, Ngwenani Young Chiefs.

His father, Mr Marcus Mukumela, who is also chairman of Young Chiefs, said that his son’s achievement was an honour to the whole family. Thendo scored the winning goal when his team beat United Artists 2-1 in a league match at the Ngwenani grounds on Sunday.