PHILEMON Masinga may be dead, but he is not forgotten.
The friends of the former Mamelodi Sundowns and Bafana Bafana striker have organised games to celebrate his birthday. Masinga, who died in 2019, would have turned 54 on Wednesday, 28 June.
His friends, who launched the Philemon Masinga Movement Legacy in June 2023, said they want to celebrate the role he played in the Steelfontein community in Klerksdorp, North West.
According to the movement's chairman and committee member, Chicco Baphuti, there will be a match at Khuma Stadium in Steelfontein where the local champion team will play soccer to celebrate Masinga's birthday and life.
Baphuti, who was also Masinga's friend, said that some of the players who will participate in the games played with Masinga after his retirement. The games were expected to be played on Saturday, 1 July.
He said he used to coach Masinga around 1987 at Flamingo Football Club.
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Baphuti said the games will be played every year in honour of Masinga's birthday and life.
"We realised that his name has been forgotten for a long time, and we want to make sure his legacy is alive," he said.
Baphuti said they previously celebrated with Masinga's family and decided to organise an event.
"Masinga was very brave, humble and a generous person."
He told Daily Sun that the former Leeds United player was a role model to many in the region, adding that he really misses Masinga.
"The task of the movement is to make sure his name lives forever and contribute to the community because he was very active," he said.
