By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The PSL and Motsepe Foundation have announced a partnership that will see the National First Division renamed to the Motsepe Foundation Championship.
During the announcement in Sandton on Friday, PSL chairman Dr Irvin Khoza said “I want to thank the Motsepe Foundation, Dr Patrice Motsepe, and Dr Precious Mooi Motsepe. I also want to thank the outgoing Sponsor (GladAfrica) for their contribution. “We are grateful to the Motsepe Foundation for contributing to the sustainability and promotion of South African football. I am excited that my urgent request for support was accepted and activated at short notice.”
“I knew that Dr Motsepe would be departing on Friday night for the CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations and we wanted to conclude and launch the Motsepe Foundation Championship before his departure,” Dr Khoza added.
The NFD, which was known as the GladAfrica Championship, is the second tier of SA professional football and will be renamed the Motsepe Foundation Championship.
Motsepe expressed delight at the partnership that will see a number of companies associated with the Motsepe family raise sponsorship for the league.
He said: “SA football has a long and proud history and has produced some of the talented players in Africa and in the world. It is an honour for the Motsepe Foundation to make a humble contribution to the development and growth of SA football.”
Motsepe is already heavily involved in South African football, owning Mamelodi Sundowns, the president of the Confederation of African Football, and also sponsoring South Africa’s third tier league, known as the ABC Motsepe League.
Details on the prize money will be revealed at a later stage.