Old Mutual pitches in with R500 000 for Ntini's academy

Old Mutual (SA) announced a donation of R500 000 towards the development of a new cricket academy to be established by top South African fast bowler, Makhaya Ntini.

The academy will be based at the Willows Cricket Club in Mdantsane, East London. Ntini will be personally involved in coaching young cricketing talent, working closely with the CEO of Border Cricket, Themba Lupuwana.

Apart from developing important cricketing skills among the young players, South Africa’s future cricketing stars will also have the opportunity to develop valuable computer skills at the venue.

Paul Hanratty, Old Mutual (SA) managing director, said: “We owe it to our country’s youth to provide opportunities they can seize. Sport is an important shaper of young people and can build teamwork, focus and tenacity.”

“Makhaya has seized the opportunities available to him and I’m hoping this donation will open similar opportunities to a new generation of cricketing South Africans”.

According to Hanratty, support for the academy is in line with Old Mutual’s economic transformation goals of capacity building and skills development.

Ntini said he was delighted with the donation and he believed that there was a wealth of cricketing talent in the Eastern Cape waiting to be discovered and nurtured.

“There’s never been a more exciting time to be playing sport for your country than in South Africa right now, and there’s never been a better time to be involved in sport development.”

Ntini’s track record as a member of the South African cricket team speaks for itself. Together with Shaun Pollock, Ntini had spearheaded South Africa’s bowling attack against other countries for a number of years.

His best figures include 13 wickets for 132 against the West Indies in 2005 while he also took five wickets for 64 in Perth that same year and he was Man of the Series against New Zealand that year with a haul of 20 wickets in o¬nly three, to name but a few of his achievements.

Hanratty said it was fortuitous that the academy was situated in the Eastern Cape, as this region was one of the key focus areas for Old Mutual’s economic transformation initiatives.

He noted that the poverty, social inequities and lack of infrastructure in the Eastern Cape meant that youngsters living there had limited opportunities.

“We live in arguably the most exciting country on earth, but face immense challenges, with poverty at the core. The Eastern Cape provides us with an opportunity to live our social investment ethos.”

Hanratty concluded: “As South Africa’s leading investment and savings champion, Old Mutual has resources and the concomitant obligation to assist with the economic transformation of the country and its citizens and the company was putting its financial muscle into making a difference to the lives of ordinary South Africans.”