Chairman’s Letter #10

THE CHAIRMAN'S

LETTER

Photos: Sundowns Media

Ola Masandawana! Ka Bo Yellow! Fellow Supporter of Shoe Shine and Piano!

It is my great pleasure to greet you as a fellow supporter of Mamelodi Sundowns FC and a proud card-carrying member of the Mamelodi Sundowns Membership Club! Finally, after years of patiently waiting for our membership program to be relaunched, our passionate supporters across the country now have the opportunity be part of this historic community within the Club. By being part of the Mamelodi Sundowns Membership Club, you are part of the inner circle of the team, you are someone with a seat at Loftus, a beloved part of our family, and a celebrated citizen of the Yellow Nation! Now, when you enter the stadium, when you are sharing transport, or simply when you are buying groceries, you can enjoy discounts, save money, and most importantly- PROUDLY SHOW THAT YOU ARE PART OF YOUR FOOTBALL CLUB.

In celebration of the Membership Club, Club representatives, ambassadors and I will be embarking on an exciting nationwide roadshow where we will be connecting with new members, spending time in the communities and getting ready for the season ahead. Please keep an eye on our social media pages and website for more information, or contact your closest Mamelodi Sundowns branch.

Before we get ready for the season ahead, it is important to reflect on the men’s season that has recently passed. I would like to thank Coach Rulani, the technical team and the players for successfully defending our premier league title, making it our 7th Championship in a row and our 14th in the club’s history. Every time we manage to win the league is a monumental accomplishment, however, this season was particularly special because we were one game away from completing an unbeaten season. Although it was not our time to achieve the title of The Invincibles, I am incredibly proud of the team for coming so close. Despite missing this piece of history, our Club ended the season as PSL and AFL Champions. The AFL title is a first in the club’s history and our captain Themba Zwane was the first man to lift the trophy in the history of the AFL. We closed the season with two major pieces of silverware, one that is the cornerstone of our traditional targets and the second was a inaugural continental cup. I would like to thank our hard-working coach, the technical team and our amazing players for their commitment and resilience this season. Finally, I would like to applaud all the supporters who sang, cheered and motivated our players to push on when they felt tired and lifted their sprits regardless of results.

Nelson Mandela said that “The youth of today are the leaders of tomorrow” and over this season, our Diski team’s promising performances have shown that the future of our first team looks bright. After a scintillating season that saw Coach Themba and his group of young starlets finishing one point behind the Diski league leaders, it is clear to see that the club and its supporters can draw confidence from the positive results and development of the squad. I am sure that, with your support and encouragement, next season will be another opportunity to do one better and take another step closer to league success.

As we cross the halfway mark of the year, we find ourselves with many targets to achieve and memories to make. Our formidable Banyana Ba Style continue to cement their dominance in the local HollywoodBets Super League, and soon they will take the first steps towards defending their CAF Women’s Champions League title when they compete in the regional COSAFA women’s cup. Unlike seasons past, the road to the CAF Women’s Champions league will take an exciting detour as our Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies travel to the USA to compete in the 2024 Women’s Cup. This trip abroad stands as recognition of the consistent successes that Coach Jerry Tshabalala, the Technical Team and the players have achieved over the years and the sacrifices they have made. I am incredibly proud that our Football Club has been invited to participate in the international tournament and I am certain that it will once again elevate women’s football in our Country. We go there to compete with some of the best clubs in the world, to share and connect our African values with the world, and most of all, to celebrate women’s football and its continued growth.

It almost seems scripted that our ladies team will be playing in the USA in 2024 and our men’s team will follow their lead in 2025 when they compete in the FIFA Club World Cup. Touted as the curtain raiser for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the global cup competition promises to be a spectacular showcase of elite club football. Mamelodi Sundowns participated in the 2016 FIFA Club world cup in Osaka Japan where we enjoyed an unforgettable experience and made magical memories - next year we will hope to not only participate, but also inspire and excel on the world stage. From the moment our players report for preseason, we will take every opportunity and every match as preparation for this fantastic challenge that awaits us- and we hope you will be there from our first match of the 2024/25 season, preparing with us too!

As we prepare for the upcoming season, plans are underway for a return to Europe for our pre-season. This time, after considering different countries and contents, the team has opted for Austria where they will face some top European sides. We trust that preparations will be in-depth and vigorous as they were in the Netherlands last year. The camp in Austria will also assist with the preparations for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.

I want to take this opportunity while writing this letter in the month of June to wish all the fathers a happy father’s day and thank them for the leadership and love that they bring to our homes. I would also like to wish the youth of South Africa a happy youth month and encourage businesses and mentors to help young people find their purpose, inspiration and success. I would also like to congratulate our Live Limitless Interns, Delisiwe Selowa, Erica Mathye, Sthembiso Manana, Lonwabo Makhaluza and Resego Moleleki on their graduation from the program. Everyone at the Club enjoyed their contribution and desire to work. We hope that your work experience at the Club is the start of great careers and continued development.

We would also like to take this opportunity to thank those players and staff who have or will be departing the Club and wish them all of the best in their future endeavours.

Closing on a positive note, it is my great pleasure to congratulate everyone associated with Mamelodi Sundowns for the receipt of the the PSL Chairman's 2023/24 Season Award recipients.

On the individual awards, congratulations to Coach Rulani for winning the PSL Coach of the Season award, Ntando Nkosi for winning the Diski Player of the Season award, Grant Kekana for winning the PSL Defender of the Season award, and Ronwen Williams for winning both the Goalkeeper of the Season award and the coveted Footballer of the Season award. Although these are individual awards, we celebrate these wonderful achievements and the teammates that helped make these possible as a proud family of supporters.

On behalf of everyone at your Football Club, we send you are best wishes and thanks.

The Sky is the Limit!

Tlhopie Motsepe
(Chairman)

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