Sports Desk Reporter
Former Mamelodi Sundowns and Bafana Bafana midfielder Tiyani Mabunda is using his football journey to create opportunities for young people through his foundation.
The Tiyani Mabunda Foundation runs programmes that combine sport with education, mentorship, skills development, health and wellness, and community initiatives.
Its latest project, the High School Football League, reached its finals at PEPPS College in Polokwane on 12 September.
Mabunda spoke to the young players, urging them not to be afraid to use their voices and believe in their potential.
“There is something football-related, I don’t know. I come from the space you are right now,” he said.
“The reason I say don’t silence your voice is because tomorrow you will stand where I am and make opportunities for the next generation of stars,” Mabunda added.
Mabunda built his career at Mamelodi Sundowns, where he won five league titles and was part of the club’s 2016 CAF Champions League triumph.
He also helped Sundowns reach the FIFA Club World Cup that year. At international level, he made his Bafana Bafana debut in November 2016 in a World Cup qualifier against Senegal and was later included in South Africa’s 2019 Africa Cup of Nations squad.
He now uses the experience gained during his football career to support youth programmes through his foundation.
The foundation was established around the theme “Giving Life to the Dream”.
The High School Football League featured 12 schools in Limpopo, with boys’ and girls’ divisions. The competition began on 29 July before reaching the semi-finals and finals in Polokwane.
Mabunda told the players the tournament was only the beginning.
“This is just the start. Opportunities are there. I believe talents which come from Limpopo, I believe we can make it better than where we are right now,” he said.
The foundation’s work extends beyond football.
Its sporting programmes include netball, basketball and athletics, while its education initiatives include career guidance, bursary information and motivational sessions.
The foundation has also hosted health and wellness initiatives, including health screenings in Mamelodi.
Its Sports Against Crime initiative, run in partnership with the Tshwane Metro Police Department, uses sport to keep young people engaged while connecting them with mentors and role models.
The foundation has worked with schools, government departments, sporting organisations, sponsors and community partners to deliver its programmes.
For Mabunda, the work is about using his experience and network to help young people develop their talents and access opportunities beyond the football pitch.