Two-time DStv Schools Netball Challenge champions get world-class netball complex from MultiChoice and Let’s Play

For Hlabi Senior Secondary School, the new netball complex is more than just an upgrade. Until now, the only time the school’s under-19 netball team could compete on a proper court was during district and provincial stages of the DStv Schools Netball Challenge league. Despite this, the team has earned a reputation as giants of South African schools’ netball.

Hlabi’s achievements include:

• Winning the inaugural DStv Netball Schools Challenge (Ubuntu Stream) in 2021 and again in 2023, with the latter victory taking them to Cape Town to witness the 2023 Netball World Cup.
  
• Training on a dusty rural patch yet going on to scoop the Developing School Team of the Year award at the 2024 SA Sports Awards and sharing the winners’ spotlight with sporting icons such as Springbok captain Siya Kolisi and coach Jacques Nienaber.

Hlabi Secondary School’s principal, Emily Mochaki, was hopeful that their win at the SA Sports Awards would attract sponsors to assist with building a court. With MultiChoice’s Let’s Play programme now delivering this world-class netball complex, that hope has become a reality.

Speaking at the handover, Bonisiwe Dlamini-Makola, senior manager for transformation and CSI at MultiChoice, said: “Hlabi Senior Secondary School’s story is one of grit, talent, and unstoppable determination. Through our Let’s Play programme, we aim to break down barriers to participation in sport, and this facility will ensure that their future champions have the resources they deserve. This investment is about more than sport, it’s about giving young people in underserved and undeveloped areas opportunities to thrive, on and off the field.”

Also present at the ceremony, Emily Mochaki, principal of Hlabi Senior Secondary, added, “Our girls have achieved greatness against all odds. This netball complex is not only a reward for their hard work but a beacon of hope for our entire community. We are grateful to MultiChoice and Let’s Play for investing in our youth and believing in their potential.”

The new facility forms part of the Let’s Play Multipurpose Sports Fields initiative, which has already enabled over 140,000 learners from rural schools to participate in weekly sport programmes and activities on newly built sports fields. In addition to the construction of modern facilities, each participating school receives kit bags stocked with essential sports equipment – including balls, whistles and cones – while life orientation teachers benefit from Premier Skills Teacher Training, a five-day course developed in partnership with the English Premier League. In 2025 alone, more than 250 teachers from Burgersfort, Mahikeng, Kroonstad and Kimberley successfully completed the programme, ensuring sustainable, effective use of the fields. These facilities are also made available to children in surrounding communities, promoting active and healthy lifestyles.

The Let’s Play Multipurpose Sports Fields initiative reflects MultiChoice’s long-standing commitment to grassroots sports development and the upliftment of communities across South Africa. By building facilities in disadvantaged areas and providing the necessary training, equipment, and ongoing support, the programme is helping to create a healthier, more active generation.