Betway South Africa, the online sports betting platform, has made a donation of R30 000 to the Highlanders Netball Club. Based in Katlehong, a township in Gauteng, the Highlanders accepted the gift on September 20th as part of the 2020 Football Association Community Shield plan.
Benjamin Mphahlele, the founder of the Highlanders and a member of the Ncala township community, spoke of everyone’s enormous gratitude for this much-needed contribution and Betfair’s generosity. He said that the influx of cash came at a crucial time, in light of the socio-economic devastation wreaked by the novel coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. Mphahlele revealed that several community Netball clubs have experienced serious setbacks as a result of the scourge.
Making Good on Their Pledge
Thabang Mazibuko, Managing Director at Betway SA, revealed that this donation was a result of a commitment his company made. The operator promised to donate R1 for every wager placed on the 29th of August this year as part of the FA Community Shield initiative. This is a Football match that takes place annually in which the current champions of the English Premier League face off against whoever’s in possession of the FA Cup.
All the proceeds from the games get distributed to various charities preselected by whichever clubs complete. As part of ongoing monthly #BetwayCares efforts and Community Shield directives, the Highlanders were selected as a club deserving of a little extra help. Mazibuku added that the donation included equipment the club was in desperate need of and stated that this is all part of his brand’s undertaking to assist in community sports development.
A Show of Support for Women in Sport
Betway SA Marketing Manager David Rachidi spoke at the official handover of the donation. With bibs, brand-new kits, tracksuits, and training equipment accompanying the cash, Rachidi called attention to his company’s recent homage to SA female athletes during women’s month, August.
Mphahlele said that the sportsbook’s offering will see training methods improved thanks to the new equipment and the team presenting a uniform front when travelling to play matches.
Rachidi said that they decided to further partner with a firm which puts the empowerment of women at the forefront and were excited about putting the focus of #BetwayCares where they did. The donation came on the heels of Betway’s celebration of women’s month and the organisation has promised to continue playing its part in making sure women get what they need in the communities they hail from.
With South Africa set to host the 2023 Netball World Cup, Rachidi says that this monetary injection marks the beginning of an ongoing commitment to community initiatives to develop the sport in underdeveloped communities.
