Ndlovu, who owns a school and runs a number of other business ventures in South Africa, is the benefactor the annual Freedom Trophy, which is meant to identify and nurture sporting talent in Kezi, Matabeleland South.
The 2011 edition of the 13-year-old tournament, which brings together 10 primary schools that form the Marinoha community, was recently held and won by hosts Marinoha (soccer) and St Annah (netball).
After organising a successful tournament, which he sponsored to the value of R35 000, an elated Ndlovu revealed even greater plans for both the tournament and the Marinoha and Matabeleland South community at large.
“The tournament was a huge success and I am very happy with the support that I got from the schools, the community, the local leadership and the government, especially the education department,” Ndlovu told ***The Zimbabwean.
“All the teams that participated showcased a lot of talent that really needs to be nurtured and developed and that is the road I will immediately embark on going forward because I want to see that community grow.”
Ndlovu, who owns 25 hectares of land in Maphisa, revealed that he would use it to set up a community skills development centre, part of which would be an academy dedicated to various sporting disciplines.
“Already, we are working on increasing the prize money for the Freedom Trophy for next year, while I will also provide a full kit for the finalists, who this year received everything other than boots. Our aim is to make this be the place that produces the next Peter Ndlovus and Samuel Eto’os of this world. ”
He added that he was already negotiating with fellow businessmen in the area to spread the tournament to local secondary schools.
The participating schools in this year’s tournament were hosts Marinoha, Mbuso, Gubula, Silonkwe, Zamanyoni, St Anna, Tjewondo, Hingwe, Mbembeswane and Guardian Angels.
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