CAPE TOWN – The 10bet’s ongoing drive of contributing to the growth and development of community sport continued this week, when the leading international sports betting company made a donation of football equipment to Vosloorus based club, Real Vultures F.C.
Co-founded in 2014 by childhood friends, Judas Baloyi, Kgotso Tshehesi, Kanelo Kolobe and Thapelo Mokoena in Ekurhuleni, east of Johannesburg; Real Vultures is a community football club that caters for various age groups that compete in the Ekurhuleni Regional League.
Following the passing of co-founder, Kgotso Tshehisi’s father, who owned a football club called City Stars, Tshehisi decided to continue his father’s legacy by collaborating with like-minded football enthusiasts, which saw the formation of Real Vultures.
“All four of our co-founders were part of the then City Stars and when the owner and coach passed away, amajita (sic) felt the need to follow in the footsteps of their late coach and not give up hope,” said Real Vultures team manager and assistant coach, Thulane Koape.
Ten years into the game, Real Vultures currently boasts five (5) teams that play in five (5) different divisions of the league. With most of their members still unemployed, the team is self-funded and relies heavily on member contributions, who mostly are recipients of the government’s monthly R350 Social Relief Grant.
“Our community is in dire need of recreational activities that can at least offer a glimmer of hope to a lot of young people who are at risk of falling through the cracks, and I’m glad to say that we offer that here at Real Vultures. We try by all means to instill discipline and valuable life skills through idiski (sic), despite our ongoing challenges of lack of funding and no adequate resources,” added Koape.
Gear-Up Ikasi is a 10bet initiative by the leading sports betting company’s CSR division and is solely designed to help sports clubs across Gauteng communities with essential playing and training equipment.
Since its launch in November 2023, the Gear-Up Ikasi initiative has to date benefited two community football clubs in Soweto and Vosloorus with much-needed kit and equipment and continues to do so as part of 10bet’s objective of aiding community sport development.
Present at the handing over of the equipment which included a brand-new home-and-away football kit, were jubilant Real Vultures players, the coaching and management staff, as well as SAFA Ekurhuleni region president, Job Mchunu.
Thanking 10bet on the donation, head coach, Kanelo Kolobe said the equipment will go a long way in the club’s efforts of using football as a diversion from the social ills faced in the community.
“As a club, we would like to express our gratitude to 10bet for this donation. The club has been in existence since 2014 and plays a key role in creating a diversion from some of the ongoing challenges faced in the community. For our players to play in such a quality kit and equipment is an added incentive and we want to thank 10bet for this motivating gesture,” concluded Kolobe.
Also present at the handover was 10bet Brand Ambassador, Doctor Khumalo who lauded 10bet’s ongoing effort of community sport development.
“It is encouraging to see what 10bet is doing in our communities. In addition to getting the nation to rally behind Bafana Bafana, it is even more exciting to see the brand here in the heart of the community where the passion for football is at its highest,” said Khumalo.
The 10bet Gear-Up Ikasi campaign continues over the next eight (8) months, with amateur football and netball teams in Gauteng encouraged to participate by submitting their motivations through the official 10bet Facebook page.
