Power Hour Motivations Movement hosts footy tournament

With an electric atmosphere, the Easter Weekend Soccer Tournament was showcased from 15-18 April 2022 at AJ Swanepoel Stadium. The event, organized by Power Hour Motivations Movement (PHMM) NGO founder, Ntokozo “Bro Ntosh” Sithole, in association with the South African Football Association (SAFA) and Msukaligwa Local Football Association (MLFA) proved to be a massive success. The tournament was moved from Thuthukani Sports Grounds to AJ Swanepoel Stadium due to the wet weather conditions. PHMM is an NGO based in Ermelo, making a difference in many lives on the daily. During the tournament, sixteen teams participated in 4 matches per day, during all four days of the Easter Weekend. The teams were extremely excited, and had boundless fun during the event, with supporters that came in numbers to the stadium, braving the finicky weather. In a surprise part of the tournament, the Local Pastors and Ermelo Fleet met lock-heads as a Cut-In-Razors for the final: Abagcotshwa versus Ermelo Taxi Association (ETA), where the ETA won the Cut-In-Razors with 1-2. The tournament also featured prizes to end off the tournament, proudly sponsored by PHMM.

The finalists were given a brand new soccer jersey to compete in, wearing it in the competition (each soccer kit per team). The winner received a trophy, and 18 gold medals, with the runner-up receiving 18 silver medals. Teams received their prizes with pride and joy. The final match of the tournament was Davel Juniors against Zone 8, with Zone 8 from Ermelo emerging as victors with a score of 3-1. “The objective of the tournament was to decrease crime rate over the long weekend. I have challenged the SAPS to hand over the long weekend crime stats to me. Unfortunately, I haven’t received any thus far, and that is a clear indication that the impact of the tournament was massive. We invited men and boys to the stadiums, because they are labeled in a bad stigma of abusing alcohol, drugs and women. We were making noise to say that there are still good men out there, and that there are men who stand against the stigma given to men as abusers in GBV,” Sithole said. “PHMM has a motto that says ‘Developing a Mentality to see Greatness in the midst of the Worst’... We still believe that we can change the status quo in our township and greater Ermelo around men.” You may view more photos on our Facebook page, Tribune Ermelo.