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Speech by Patrick "Ace" Ntsoelengoe on the occasion of being honoured with a Lifetime Award by the Gauteng Provincial Government
MEC of Sports and Recreation Mr. Mondli Gungubele I am humbled to receive this award tonight because it is remarkable to be singled out in this fashion by my peers and most importantly by my government. I am moved that this award come at a time when I have just been inducted in the US National Soccer Hall of Fame. This award comes at a stage when as a nation we are being backed by people like Franz Beckenbauer, another soccer legend that I have played with in the US. It is heartening that leaders like Beckenbauer are putting their weight behind South Africa's bid to host the 2010 Soccer World Cup. South Africa is land of promise for Africa and we hold the key for Africa's rebirth. This is not an arrogant statement but a statement of conviction. As African's we need to work with each other and not compete against one another. It is time that we rally together to form a united Africa that will be competitive in trade, sports and technology. In receiving this honour, I am reminded of the many young people that are at the brink of reaching for their stars and dreams. It takes people like us to mentor them - coach them and encourage them to stick in there even if it seems impossible. Awards like this put one in the spotlight and quite frankly for me the challenge is not how much money I leave behind when I die but to leave a legacy for my children and the youth of this country. Lifetime Achievement Awards - implicitly mean that I have reached a ceiling in terms of achievements. Personally, I believe that life is a journey to discover new unfettered territories. In fact you haven't seen anything yet, the best is still to come. At my age, I still feel I can contribute more to youth development in sports. I believe also that I have much to contribute to the 2010 Soccer World Cup Bid. This is not bragging nor snatching a role for myself. The time has come to set things straight. No one should declare me an ambassador of Soccer because I know that I am one because soccer is my passion and my life. Soccer in South Africa need to go back to where it was. Stadiums have to be filled again. The love for the game needs to be restored especially in the administration. Soccer fans want to see us serve much better than we do today. I support the 2010 Soccer World Cup Bid with all that I have. When I was inducted in the US National Soccer Hall of Fame, my plea was the nations of the world to endorse South Africa in hosting the prestigious world cup. This will change our country immensely. We will truly understand what it means to be in a global village. The soccer world cup opportunity is an opening of a new chapter for South Africa where we should not be selfish, self-centred and racist. We have hosted the Rugby World Cup, Cricket World Cup and now it is the time to showcase our splendid hosting of the Soccer World Cup. We are ready but we also need to pray to God that we get the wisdom to be excellent at service. It is at tournaments like that where our service credentials would be tested. Perhaps, you are asking why the link between my award and this talk. My humble submission to you is that this award is making bold to speak out about things, which we glibly talk about. We should not forget our heroes and champions who have gone deliberately unnoticed or we might have forgotten about them. This award is also for for those who were playing with and against me during our era. I want to thank God and my saviour Jesus Christ for keeping me in check. I want to thank my family and wife Thato for their amazing support. To all the fans, soccer is dead without you. You are great. I thank you.
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