Local businessmen invest in youth football development in Chatsworth

TWO businessmen with “deep roots” in Chatsworth have teamed up with the hope to rekindle the zest for sport among the youth in the south Durban community, by contributing over R100 000 towards a football development initiative.

- MERVYN NAIDOO

Collin Naidoo and Jeremy Deokynarain are responsible for the gesture that will enable the Chatsworth Football Association, an affiliate of the South African Football Association, to stage a football tournament, with many benefits for the players and the teams, the Pelican Pharmacy Youth Festival this weekend.

The competition that will begin on Saturday at various venues around Chatsworth, will see the association's youth structure, which includes over 100 teams, in both boys and girls divisions, pitting their skills against each other.

The event's climax will be on Sunday with all the semifinals and finals set for the Road 1016 sports field in Woodhurst.

For the sponsors, making the competition a reality is “close to their hearts”.

“This is for the community of Chatsworth. This is where we come from, and our opportunity to give back,” said Naidoo, who played football professionally for Berea FC in the 1980s.

Berea was an affiliate of the old Federation Professional League.

“I was fortunate enough in my playing days to have reached the heights that I did, now we hope that other children from this community can do likewise.”