AZOPHINDE azwane amandla ngaphambi kokuqala kwesizini amaqembu aKwaZulu-Natal emqhudelwaneni waminyaka yonke, iKZN Premier's Cup.
Lo mqhudelwano owasungulwa ngo-2011 ukunika amaqembu aseKZN ithuba lokungcweka nokuhlola abadlali abasha. Umqhudelwano wanonyaka wethulwe ngokusemthethweni izolo eRichards Bay, kwazise uzobanjelwa eMhlathuze Sports Complex ngoJulayi 26 kuya ku-27.
Njengoba amaqembu aseKZN adlala kumaligi akhokhelayo eyisithupha, amane azodlala ngoMgqibelo, ebanga izindawo ezimbili kowandulela owamanqamu, amanye amabili aqale ukudlala kowandulela owamanqamu ngeSonto. NgoMgqibelo AmaZulu azodudulana neLamontville Golden Arrows ngo-11am, bese kuthi iDurban City itholane phezulu neMilford ngo-2pm. NgeSonto ngo-9 ekuseni iMidlands Wanderers izobhekana neMilford kowokuqala owandulela owamanqamu, bese kuthi amaqembu amabili azodlula ngoMgqibelo egadulisana kowesibili ozoqala ngo-12.30pm. Umdlalo wamanqamu uzoqala ngo-4 ntambama ngeSonto.
“Isinqumo sokusingatha iPremier’s Cup lapha eMhlathuze kube yisinqumo esihle futhi esibalulekile njengoba siqondana nokuphothulwa kwenkundla yaseMhlathuze okufanele ibe isikulungele ukusingatha imidlalo yebhola elikhokhelwayo ngesizini ezayo,” kusho uNdunankulu waseKZN uThami Ntuli.
"Lokhu akuphathelene nezemidlalo kuphela kodwa futhi kuyahambisana nezinhlelo zethu zokuhlanganisa abantu nokufukula umnotho esifundazweni sethu."
UMphathiswa wezeMidlalo, ezobuCiko namaSiko KwaZulu-Natal, uMntomuhle Khawula, utuse indima ekhathulwa yiPremier's Cup ekuqinisekiseni ukuthi amaqembu akuleli aqala isizini esesimweni esihle. Yize ingekho imali eklonyeliswa iqembu elidla umhlanganiso kodwa uhulumeni waseKZN utshala isamba semali esingu-R8.5 million ukuqinisekisa ukuthi iqembu ngalinye lithola u-R750 000 wokulungiselela ukuqala isizini.
“IPremier’s Cup yanonyaka siyethula ngemuva kwesizini ka-2024/25 esiyithatha njengebe yimpumelelo ebholeni laseKZN. Amaqembu amabili akulesi isifundazwe, AmaZulu FC neRichards Bay FC, aqede kwi-Top 8 kwi-Betway Premiership ngesizini edlule futhi azobamba iqhaza kwiMTN 8 kule sizini,” kusho uKhawula.
“Phezu kwalokho, iDurban City ibe ngompetha beMotsepe Foundation Championship (MFC) kanti izodlala esigabeni esiphezulu kule sizini ezoqala. IMidlands Academy ibe semaqenjini amathathu aphume phambili emidlalweni yokuhlunga kazwelonke kwi-ABC Motsepe League, yakhushulelwa kwiMFC.
“Sifuna izinto ziqhubeke kanje, amaqembu ethu enze okungcono kunalokhu akwenze ngesizini edlule, kungabibikho elihlehlela emuva. Sinxusa abantu abavela kuwo wonke amagumbi esifundazwe sethu ukuthi baweseke la maqembu, bangagcini ngalezi zinsuku ezimbili kodwa bawalandele ngobuningi isizini yonke.”
Kuzongenwa mahhala emidlalweni yeKZN Premier's Cup ngazo zombili izinsuku.