The tournament organisers together with the Standard Bank Foundation have arranged a parallel edutainment campaign involving players in all four teams participating in the Vodacom Challenge to communicate important messages about the pandemic.

On the cards is a day programme comprising live entertainment by Alaska, BOP, Jabu and Vuyo, drum majorettes, fun soccer related competitions, give-aways and other activities in which players from Pirates, Chiefs, Asante Kotoko and St Eloi Lupopo will participate to help bring to the attention of young fans key issues about HIV-AIDS.

Last year the tournament was linked to a safety and security campaign as it followed the stadium tragedies experienced by the teams from South Africa and Ghana.

The tragedies were common to all four teams, and the Vodacom Challenge played an important role in bringing about heading for all involved.

The players from all four teams will be participating ion social investment outreach programmes in the run up to the games using the Vodacom Challenge platform as a vehicle to increase HIUV-AIDS awareness.

As was the case in Mafikeng, the AIDS outreach project has been originated by the Standard Bank Foundation, and will involve youngsters infected by the disease as well as others for whom the players’ advice will be valuable.

Tournament organisers have urged spectators to buy tickets early ahead of the games to avoid disappointment. “Our challenge to locals is to beat the record set in Mafikeng, where 46 000 tickets were sold for the matches,” said tournament patrons Irvin Khoza and Kaizer Motaung.

Tickets for the finals are selling at R30 and may be obtained from Computicket outlets. Juvenile tickets will be available from the stadium on the day of the match at R10 each.

“We have already sold over 20 000 tickets through Computicket by 12 midday on Friday,” said tournament organiser Vivian Casaletti.