Caption: Vodacom’s Sli Ngcobo holding up the ball for the Steval Pumas’ JC Roos during a practice session earlier this week. Photo: Hennie Homann|Steval Pumas

The Steval Pumas’ kicking sensation, JC Roos, who is playing in his 50th Puma match this weekend, has been given another challenge apart from being vital in a third consecutive win for the Steval Pumas. On Saturday afternoon from 16:00, the responsibility rests on his shoulders, or rather in his kicking boot, to raise funds for the Mpumalanga Mental Health Society in Secunda.

Vodacom has willingly offered to pay R1 000 per successful conversion he kicks in this Vodacom Cup match against the Assupol Limpopo Blue Bulls. “For us at Vodacom it is an honor to team up with a talented player like JC and to be able to take hands and give back to the community,” Louisa van Beek, Vodacom Managing Executive: Mpumalanga said.

As part of the Vodacom Cup series, hosting Unions are required to host games like these, at different venues in their province, and because the Steval Pumas are for the whole of Mpumalanga, Secunda was their next stop. Last year a match between the Lowvelders and Leopards was played at the Kees Taljaard Stadium in Middelburg and a year before that a game was played in KaNyamazane.

Currently JC Roos is the second best point scorer in the series with 22 points (one try, seven conversions and one penalty), the Steval Pumas are topping the Northern section points log with 10 points, with the Xerox Golden Lions in second and Vodacom Blue Bulls third.

“I’m really honored to be chosen for this kick-off. I’ve done something similar before and it makes the challenge even bigger to be successful in what I’m paid to do. To give back to a community in any way is a privilege and I hope the rest of the team gives me ample opportunities to kick for that cash,” Roos commented.

Pieter Burger, CEO of the Mpumalanga Rugby Union and Mpumalanga Rugby (Pty) Ltd has said that competitions like these are great ways for the Union, especially the professional rugby players and sponsors to give back to well deserving communities.

The Mpumalanga Mental Health Society (MMHS) is a non-profit organization who looks after people with disabilities. They were founded in 1994 and currently is under the chairmanship of Sharen Wickens.
Mpumalanga Mental Health Society also renders services in the Province via:

•   Stimulation centers: Day-care facility for 688 children with severe disabilities between the ages of 0– 18 years.
•   Protective workshops: Skills training programme for 411 adults with various disabilities between the ages of 18 – 65years.
•   Assisted living homes: 24 Hour care for 14 destitute psychiatric patients.
• •   Foster Homes: 24 Hour care for 14 severe disabled children who needs to be placed in a safe secure environment through the children’s court.
  •   Therapeutic services: Our 24 qualified and professional staff also provides professional, therapeutic services to walk-in clients in need of support as a result of psychosocial challenges that may be experienced. Furthermore services also focus on group work to various groups in the community with similar needs.
  •   Support groups: Secunda office assists the community with 2 successful support groups, namely the Alcoholics Anonymous and the Depression and Anxiety Support group.Sharen can be reached at 084 510 9609 or the MMHS office 017-6312505.The MMHS committee:

    Director: Mari Louw
    Social workers: Karen Asia and Lindiwe Makhubela Cleaner: Paulinah Masango
    Management committee members:
    Chairperson: Sharen Wickens
    Secretary: Michelle Wickens.