Liberty Coal Partners with Happy Jele Foundation to Launch Youth Football Tournament
Written by: Hlayiseka Chauke Save to Instapaper
Liberty Coal Partners With Happy Jele Foundation To Drive Youth Development Through Sport
Liberty Coal has announced a three-year partnership with the Happy Jele Foundation, focused on advancing youth development and community upliftment through sport.
At the centre of the collaboration is the inaugural Liberty Coal–Happy Jele Middelburg Easter Tournament, set to take place over the Easter weekend at Themba Senamela Stadium.
A Platform For Opportunity And Talent Development
The three-day tournament will feature 32 underprivileged teams competing for a share of a R120,000 prize pool. Beyond competition, the initiative is designed to create meaningful opportunities for young athletes by providing exposure, development pathways, and a platform to showcase their talent.
The event is also expected to bring renewed energy to the township of Mhluzi, with multiple sporting activities aimed at keeping young people engaged in positive and structured environments.
A Long Term Commitment To Communities
The partnership, valued at over R3 million, forms part of Liberty Coal’s broader Community Upliftment Plan and reflects the company’s commitment to responsible mining and sustainable social impact.
Over the next three years, the initiative aims to grow into a lasting youth sporting platform that nurtures talent, strengthens social cohesion, and contributes to local economic activity.
Liberty Coal CEO Hlayiseka Chauke highlighted the importance of the initiative, stating that sport plays a vital role in shaping young lives.
“Sport has the power to transform lives, building discipline, confidence, and opportunity. This partnership is not just about sponsorship, it is about investing in young people and strengthening the communities in which we operate.”
Empowering The Next Generation
Happy Jele, founder of the Happy Jele Foundation, emphasised the personal significance of the partnership and its potential to create real change.
“This partnership gives us a platform to develop talent in the community I grew up in. I am hopeful that it will produce more football stars and give young people opportunities to succeed, just as I was given a chance to achieve what I have.”
Building A Sustainable Sporting Legacy
The partnership was officially announced at a media launch in Johannesburg on 20 March 2026, marking the formal signing of the agreement.
As the Easter tournament approaches, both organisations are focused on establishing a sustainable model that uses sport as a catalyst for development, opportunity, and long-term community impact.
“This is more than an event. It is a long-term investment in the future of our communities,” Chauke added.
Get new press articles by email
GGi offers a totally integrated corporate communication service. Right through from conceptualisation to implementation, every communication activity is always underpinned by the key drivers of a solid reputation: credibility, authenticity, transparency and consistency
Latest from
- AI agents as the banking industry’s greatest vulnerability in next year
- South Africa's side hustles are being built in kitchens and driven by the cost of living
- ‘Pre-business rescue’ can avert worrying trend of drift towards insolvency without realising
- Hypertension - the silent driver behind South Africa’s deadliest diseases
- South African banking leaders report increasing fraud attempts and losses
- Viatris expands nurse-owned clinics in partnership with Rhiza Babuyile recognizing nurses’ important role in driving sustainable healthcare access.
- Why delaying your flu vaccine this year could cost you more than you think
- Emerging Credit Risk Storm
- South Africa can end TB by replacing stigma with early action
- Liberty Coal's Formal Establishment of Stakeholder Forum
- Global Political Volatility and the Strategic Imperative for Trade Credit Insurance
- Liberty Coal Successfully Recommissions Dragline Following Major Refurbishment Programme
- Credible Transparency Should Drive Executive Departures
- World Obesity Day 2026 highlighting hidden habits driving South Africa’s weight crisis
- Better Rewards Boosts Dis-Chem Trading Performance With 10.1% Revenue Growth And Market Share Gains
The Pulse Latest Articles
- Sotru Launches To Stop Supplier Fraud At The Moment Of Payment (June 23, 2026)
- The Death Of The Dinner Party? Why South Africans Are Choosing Convenience Over Traditional Entertaining (June 23, 2026)
- Wildbeest Media Launches 2026 Tourism Marketing Campaign Service For South African Travel Brands (June 22, 2026)
- Opinion Piece: The Chair Is Not The Person: A Ceo’s Hardest Leadership Lesson (June 22, 2026)
- Pura And Soweto Cyclists Celebrate Youth Day 50 Years After The 1976 Uprising (15) (June 18, 2026)