Richards Bay FC scout happy about football players at Nkandla Mayoral Cup games

By Ayand Nyuswa

Following the 2024 edition of the Nkandla Mayoral Cup games, Richards Bay FC scout Lindani Shezi says the Natal Rich Boyz were able to spot a few talents in the hotly contest men’s football tournament. The Nkandla Municipality, under the leadership of Mayor Mbhekiseni Biyela, hosted the 2024 Nkandla Mayoral Cup games where youngsters competed in girls and boys football, Netball and Boxing tournaments. 

The Mayoral Cup was attended by the honourable Premier of KwaZulu-Natal Thami Ntuli, SAFA representative from King Cetshwayo District Hlengiwe Ntanzi, football scouts from Richards Bay FC, uMsinga FC and M&M Sports Management. Abafana begazi, who are the only football team from Nkandla that plays in the Motsepe Foundation Championship, walked away with title in the men’s tournament, and captured R20 000 in prize money.

Richards Bay FC is one of a few local professional football clubs that thrive in bringing up young players from around the Province into the professional set up. Lindani Shezi, who is also the coach of ABC Motsepe League side Ethekwini Coastal FC, says he was able to spot about five promising youngsters from the tournament, even though the scouts were not too happy about the age profile of most of the players.

“For me as the Scout of Richards Bay, as much as we are dissapointed with the age of the players in the tournament, as most of them were old but, there were 5 players who really impressed us, with 3 of them aged 21 and the others were 24 and 25,” Shezi said speaking exclusively to Gagasi FM Sports.

“We would like to thank the Nkandla Municipality for the initiative they take when it comes to football and developing the game. As someone who was sent by Chairman (of Richards Bay FC) Jomo Biyela our big aim is promote players from the province of KwaZulu-Natal,” Shezi concluded.

Nkandla mayor Mbhekiseni Biyela has expressed his happiness about having scouts and SAFA officials present in the Mayoral cup, which will ensure that more young boys and girls can get scouted to play for professional teams.

“I can see the difference in football, especially men’s football because there are young boys who get picked by football clubs after the mayoral cup. Today I saw the best way of doing this, which is getting scouts directly from teams to come and watch the young players, because inviting agents can delay the proccess. Football club scouts are here, and I can see that they are happy, I am certain there are players who are going to leave (after the tournament). I am happy that our mission of improving the football of young boys in Nkandla is slowly coming to fruition, as you can see the difference and improvement,” Biyela concluded.