“There must be something in the water in Lentegeur,” said Ward councillor Avron Plaatjies.
He was referring to the large number of national league soccer players that come from the area.
Plaatjies was speaking at the launch of the 2026 Mitchells Plain Youth Cup at RLabs on Thursday 19 February.
“Right now the youngest player for Bafana Bafana in the national u-17 team is from Lentegeur, Mitchells Plain, ” he said, referring to Selwyn Stevens. He went on to rapidly mention four other national players; Cole Alexander, Salmaan King, Jermaine Seoposenwe and Antonio Johnson; who all come from the same area.
Youth cup
The annual youth cup kicks off at Lentegeur Sportsfield on Friday 6 March.
This year the tournament will feature both day and night games so teams can take advantage of the newly installed floodlights at the revamped field.
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A total of 24 teams will be divided into six groups of four teams each, with matches played on a round-robin basis before progressing to knockout stages. The tournament concludes on Sunday 8 March.
In honour of Mitchells Plain’s 50th anniversary, sponsors have contributed towards a R50 000 prize pool. The winning team will take home R30 000, whilst the runner-ups receive R10 000, R7 000 and R3 000.
Community partnership drives youth development
Francine Higham, Mayco member for community health services, emphasised the tournament’s role in youth development.
“Where a young person steps onto a soccer field, something powerful happens. They learn accountability, discipline and resilience,” said Higham. “In communities facing the pressures of gangsterism, substance abuse and violence, these opportunities matter.”
The tournament represents a partnership between the City of Cape Town, provincial government, Safa, local sponsors and community organisations including Catalysts for Change and Beacon Spurs.
Western Cape MEC for Cultural Affairs and Sport, Ricardo Mackenzie, highlighted new initiatives to support young players, including free transport vouchers through Golden Arrow Bus Services.
ALSO READ: Lentegeur’s Collegians Rugby Club receives major funding for youth development
“We have a structural problem in how we sell solutions to our young people,” he said. “The biggest barrier to get kids to sport is transport.”
Registration
Teams have until 2 March to complete their registration of 20-player squads and five technical staff members through the tournament’s online system.
The event forms part of broader youth development initiatives coinciding with Mitchells Plain’s 50th anniversary, including digital skills workshops and arts programmes scheduled for the same week.
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