MultiChoice Group hands over multipurpose playing field to Credence Primary School in Bloemfontein

The handover formed part of MultiChoice Group’s Let’s Play initiative and was attended by the Honourable Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, alongside school leadership, educators, learners and members of the media.

The newly constructed field will allow learners to participate in a range of sporting codes, including 7-a-side soccer, netball, modified hockey, touch rugby and volleyball. Beyond physical activity, the facility is intended to strengthen school sport programmes and create a shared space for learners and the broader community.

Speaking at the event, chairman of CANAL+ Africa, Calvo Mawela, said schools play a critical role in shaping young people and their communities.

“Sport teaches discipline, teamwork and resilience. These are skills that stay with young people for life,” he said. “By investing in school-based sporting facilities, we are helping to create environments where learners can discover their potential and develop both on and off the field.”

To support effective use of the facility, MultiChoice Group also provided Credence Primary School with a Let’s Play Coach-in-a-Bag kit. In addition, school coaches will receive training in updated physical education methodologies to strengthen the quality of coaching and learner participation.

Through Let’s Play, MultiChoice Group has invested well over R40m in school sport development. Since October 2023, over 350 teachers and coaches have been trained through the Premier Skills Physical Education programme, a partnership with the British Council and the Premier League, exceeding initial targets. Broader partnerships have enabled the Let’s Play initiative to reach more than 117,000 children nationwide. Over the past 36 months, 13 multi-purpose Centres of Sporting Excellence have been constructed across South Africa.

The handover to Credence Primary forms part of MultiChoice Group’s wider commitment to youth and community development, which includes bursaries and learnerships, the MultiChoice Talent Factory for film and television skills development, and the DStv Diski Challenge, which continues to provide a much-needed development platform for the next generation of football stars.

MultiChoice Group believes that sustained investment in education, sport and skills development plays an important role in building stronger communities and expanding opportunities for young South Africans.