Cape Town - The Collegians Rugby Football Club (RFC), a sporting custodian from Mitchell’s Plain, has received a muchneeded financial boost thanks to Cape Town mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis.
The club received R200 000 at the weekend after Hill-Lewis received a heartfelt motivational letter from Lentegeur ward councillor Avron Plaatjies.
According to Plaatjies, the contribution is a significant milestone for the club and the community it serves.
“This generous donation solidifies our dedication to youth development, providing young people with positive alternatives to the social ills in Mitchell’s Plain,” said Plaatjies. “I am incredibly proud of the Collegians Rugby Football Club and will continue to support their efforts to nurture young talent across Mitchell’s Plain.”
With a rich history spanning 47 years, the club has made a profound impact on players from across the Cape Flats.
Faseegh Creighton, executive of Collegians RFC, said they were grateful and overwhelmed to have received the sponsorship from the mayor’s office.
Creighton said it wouldn’t have been made possible without the constant assistance and drive of Plaatjies, who has been assisting them from day one since in office.
The sponsorship is set to bring much joy to the club’s 270 primary and high school members along with their senior teams from under 20 to 1st team, where over 120 players will benefit.
“This will assist us with getting them the necessary equipment to allow them to excel in rugby, and transport to attend matches, as the majority of our community faces extreme poverty.
“We are immensely thankful for receiving this privilege in sponsorship,” Creighton said.
The club has faced numerous challenges, particularly with the Lentegeur sports ground. Creighton said their biggest challenge is not being able to play on their home field, as it was out of use before and after Covid-19.
Collegians RFC has been asking for the assistance of clubs outside of Mitchell’s Plain to play their home matches, which also contributes to their high transport cost.
Plaatjies continued: “They never gave up on rebuilding our beloved Griefgat, also known as the Lentegeur sports ground, even in the face of vandalism and land invasion. After a two-year journey, we are proud to celebrate the completion of our Berlin Wall and the near completion of the fencing around our A field,” Plaatjies said.
byron.lukas@inl.co.za
Cape Argus