South Africa's 2010 talent search
8 July 2005
A programme running since February - dubbed "Wonke-Wonke" (meaning "everyone") - has been scouring the remotest parts of South Africa to unearth talent for the team that will represent the country when it plays host to football's greatest spectacle, the 2010 World Cup.
The results of the nationwide talent search, nine provincial under-23 teams from the 25 regions that make up the South African Football Association (Safa), have been in Johannesburg this week contesting a national under-23 tournament.
A team of selectors, including former professional stars Wellington Manyathi, Floyd Mogale and Grant Johnson, has been keeping a watchful eye on proceedings.
The final takes place Saturday at Orlando Stadium in Soweto.
Wonke Wonke is part of a plan put together by Safa and SA under-23 sponsors Sasol to sustain the momentum of "Amaglug-glug", SA's national under-23 side, over the next four years leading up to the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008
- and so to build a platform for 2010.
While Wonke Wonke has been mining for unpolished talent, a parallel programme has been focusing on known professional players currently participating in either the Premier Soccer League, the Mvela League, or playing abroad.
After the tournament, selected amateur players will join up with identified professional players in what promises to be a formidable pool of 60 under-23 players.
From this pool, SA's national under-23 side will be selected for the 2007 All Africa Games qualifiers, the 2008 Olympics qualifiers, and the Beijing Olympics themselves.
Programme director Barney Kujane says the programme has already achieved "remarkable results" in identifying talent.
"We made sure we covered the remotest parts of South Africa to come up with the players who are participating in the tournament," Kujane said.
Wonke-Wonke also accommodated players from outside Safa's 25 regions through a "freeway" plan that
provides opportunities for players to emerge "anywhere, anytime".
Since 1994, Sasol has invested R75-million in SA's under-23 team and the development of soccer in the country. At the beginning of 2005, the company committed itself to sponsoring Amaglug-glug to the tune of R40-million over the next four years.
Source: City of Johannesburg
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