Voting is open for the 23rd annual Telkom Charity Cup, South Africa’s one-day knockout competition featuring four teams.
For five weeks, supporters of the 16 Premier Soccer League (PSL) teams can vote either by SMSing the name of their favourite team or by phoning in their choice using a landline. Only SMSes, not calls, will be accepted from cellphones.
Fans can vote as often as they like to ensure that their team of choice is among the top four, who will lock horns on Saturday August 2 at the Mmabatho Stadium in Mafikeng.
The aim of the Telkom Charity Cup is to raise money from the voting process and gate takings. The funds are given to registered charities, some of whom are selected by the 16 PSL teams.
The tournament also gives teams an opportunity to parade their new signings for the season.
Speaking at the launch on Wednesday, National Soccer League and Telkom Charity Cup chairperson Leepile Taunyane said that over the years many South Africans have opened their hearts and wallets for the tournament even though they are socially vulnerable themselves.
”Many relish the opportunity of ensuring that the invaluable work performed by the benefiting charities is sustainable,” he said.
”Once a year, football fans are given the opportunity to do something to alleviate the plight of less fortunate. At a time when smaller, rural-based charities are forced to compete with national organisations for funding, the Telkom Charity Cup recognises the good work that small independent organisations are performing,” said Taunyane.
”The teams are doing it for charity. Last year we managed to raise about R4,6-million, which will be distributed to different registered charities across the country. This is the highest that we have achieved since the inception of the tournament.”
This year, the cup organisers expect to raise about R5,5-million.
Zola Nkuta, Telkom sponsorship manager, said: ”This enables us to plough back in a substantially meaningful way to our communities. Looking ahead to the 2008 event, we are anticipating a fantastic occasion that will deliver a much-needed boost to the coffers of charitable organisations while delivering obvious benefits.”
The voting lines close on Friday July 25 at midnight.