logo
Public donations help secure plane tickets to bring home some members of SA soccer team stranded in Portugal

Public donations help secure plane tickets to bring home some members of SA soccer team stranded in Portugal

Eyewitness News5 days ago
CAPE TOWN - EWN can confirm that 12 tickets were secured for the South African soccer team still stranded in Portugal.
Thanks to donations made possible by the public, R54,000 was raised.
Twelve players, along with one coach, will touchdown on home soil Wednesday evening.
KFM presenter, Tracey Lange, confirmed that 12 tickets had been secured.
"Our desire is to make sure they all get home in one go. We don't want to take a while and prioritise anyone above the rest. We don't want anyone's kids to feel that they are more important than anyone else's. The coaches are doing their best to keep everyone fine."
The team's dream trip turned into a nightmare when the organisers failed to book return flights after spending a week in Spain competing at an annual soccer tournament.
One of the coaches working for the organisers, Jayvin Chisholm, said many of the coaches were furious with the top management of BT Academy, which admitted in a letter calling for donations that the funds paid by the players had fallen short of covering the estimated cost of the trip.
"He's just trying to keep afloat with the coaches that are willing to even speak to him at this moment, being myself and coach Clayton, because the other coaches, they won't speak to him at all because they are just so furious about the whole situation."
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Proteas take World Test Championship mace on tour of Langa
Proteas take World Test Championship mace on tour of Langa

The South African

timean hour ago

  • The South African

Proteas take World Test Championship mace on tour of Langa

The Proteas took to the streets of Langa in Cape Town to celebrate their historic World Test Championship win, parading the coveted mace through the hometown of team captain Temba Bavuma. Hundreds of residents lined the roads, waving flags and cheering as the national cricket team walked alongside local supporters in a festive and emotional show of pride. Children held handmade signs while others reached out to greet the players, who paused regularly to sign memorabilia and pose for photos. The event marked the start of the Cape Town leg of the championship victory tour, which aims to connect the national team with communities often overlooked in major sporting celebrations. 'I think for these kids it will feel different. They watch us on TV. Now they see us live. They see that we are just like them. It helps them believe in their own goals,' said Bavuma, addressing the crowd before the team continued on their tour bus. The symbolic journey through Langa holds personal significance for Bavuma, who grew up in the area. Organisers said the event was not only about honouring the team's achievement but also about inspiring young people to pursue sporting ambitions and making cricket more accessible to all South Africans. The tour will continue through other parts of Cape Town in the coming days, with more stops planned to allow fans across the city to celebrate with the team. The Proteas' World Test Championship victory over Australia at Lord's last month has been hailed as a major moment for South African sport, with this tour reinforcing efforts to unite the country behind the success of its national teams. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.

Orlando Pirates full list: 11 players released
Orlando Pirates full list: 11 players released

The South African

timean hour ago

  • The South African

Orlando Pirates full list: 11 players released

Betway Premiership giants Orlando Pirates have announced their most unexpected departure: Zakhele Lepasa. While the Buccaneers have delighted the fanbase with a staggering 11 new signings, including Sipho Mbule and Oswin Appollis, the club has also been saying goodbye to a growing list of players. Who else has left alongside Monnapule Saleng, Mohau Nkota, Paseka Mako and Thabiso Monyane? Also read: New Bucccaneer star willing to die and another warned The list of nine includes players who have been loaned out for improved game time, others have been deemed surplus to requirements, while Mohau Nkota was sold to Saudi Arabia's big-spenders Al-Ettifaq. Another standout exit is that of Monnapule Saleng to Orbit College on loan. Orlando Pirates star Monnapule Saleng during his last game for the Buccaneers under his former coach, Jose Riveiro, in the CAF Champions League. Image: Goal Also read: Kaizer Chiefs news: Nigerian striker and live match on SABC Full list: Paseko Mako Thabiso Monyane Mohau Nkota Yanga Madiba Azola Tshobeni Monnapule Saleng Ndabayithethwa Ndlondlo Innocent Maela Miguel Timm Thuso Moleleki Zakhele Lepasa. Orlando Pirates legends don't always send interesting messages to the current players, but this is an undeniably good one from Steve Lekoelea. According to the former Buccaneers superstar, Oswin Appollis, can easily fall into a complacency trap, but his experience will give him a great chance to avoid it. Instead of a move to Kaizer Chiefs, the 23-year-old new Orlando Pirates winger joined the Sea Robbers just before the trip to Spain in early July. 'I hear people say he's the biggest signing (in this transfer window), but this thing is what kills players a lot of the times,' Lekoelea said… Full story here. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.

Kaizer Chiefs players meet and greet fans in Durban
Kaizer Chiefs players meet and greet fans in Durban

The South African

timean hour ago

  • The South African

Kaizer Chiefs players meet and greet fans in Durban

Kaizer Chiefs players were on a meet and greet with their fans at The Workshop in Durban on Friday, 25 July. The players met with their fans ahead of the Toyota Cup, which will be held at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday, 26 July at 15:00. Amakhosi will face Ghanaian side Asante Kotoko FC, where they will be looking to redeem themselves after suffering a 4-0 defeat to Tanzanian superstars Young Africans SC in the same fixture at the Toyota Stadium in Bloemfontein last year. The Soweto giants were seen dancing and singing along with their fans. They were also involved in a game where they had to choose fans to come up and answer questions regarding the match in order to win some exciting prizes, including match tickets and Kaizer Chiefs accessories. Kaizer Chiefs players singing and dancing with fans. Video: Nomndeni Ndlovu. Kaizer Chiefs player Tashreeq Morris giving a fan two tickets and a Kaizer Chiefs cap. Video: Nomndeni Ndlovu. Saturday's game will not only see Kiazer Chiefs players having a blast on the field, but some of the club's legends will also be playing against Zulu Kingdom Football Club – also at Moses Mabhida Stadium – at 12:00. Among the legends who will be turning back the clock are Siyabonga Nomvethe and Brilliant Khuzwayo, who both contributed immensely to Kaizer Chiefs' rich history. Meanwhile, rumours are circulating that the Nedbank Cup champions are looking to extend the contract of goalkeeper Bruce Bvuma. A close source alleged that Bvuma is one of the goalkeepers that the club intends to keep. 'Talks between all the involved parties have started. They are believed to be working on tying down as many players as they can, and he is one of them with whom talks have started,' alleged the source. The 30-year-old goalkeeper first joined the glamour boys in 2014 in the club's youth academy. After working his way to the top, he managed to secure a spot with the main squad in 2016. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store