Springbok-mania hits MTN head office during Springboks' Trophy Tour visit

Kicking off in Pretoria this morning, The Springboks' Trophy Tour made a stopover at MTN head office in Fairland, Johannesburg to thank thousands of MTN employees who have had the Boks' back from the very beginning.

The sea of green and gold could be seen from the sky, as employees screamed their support for the boys who did the nation proud and triumphed in Japan.

"I wish to take this moment to thank team MTN for backing us two years ago during a very difficult period for us a team. You guys enabled us to live our dreams and play rugby. Thank you to all of you working in the offices, we really appreciate your support, so thank you so much," Siya Kolisi, Captain of the Springboks, told cheering MTN employees.

Rassie Erasmus, Springboks Coach, added: "People say we give hope by the way we play. But it wasn't initially our plan to give hope, we just wanted to play well. When the boys started playing well, they gave hope and we are glad for that. It's easy to give hope, but MTN gives solutions. We want to say thanks for that. From our side, we will keep playing hard and plan and give hope to you guys. To MTN, keep giving solutions and we will keep giving hope. By doing that together, we are stronger together," said Rassie Erasmus, Coach of the national rugby team.

Erasmus was named Best Coach in the World at the World Rugby Awards on Sunday.

In 2017, MTN announced its headline sponsorship of the national rugby team after signing a three-year sponsorship agreement with the Springboks. This further entrenched MTN's commitment to bringing South African fans closer to their passion, while also supporting South Africa's sporting ambitions.

"At MTN, we believe that sport in general and rugby in particular is a powerful instrument that can foster national unity and drive social cohesion. This was proven this week. The nationwide euphoria following the win demonstrates the faith the country has in the Springboks and shows how millions of South Africans from all walks of life regard them as national heroes. Thank you for being with us today and sharing that winning feeling," said Godfrey Motsa, Chief Executive Officer of MTN SA.

Investment in education

As part of its investment in education, MTN SA Foundation will hand over 800 pairs of school shoes to Emsengeni Primary School, the primary school that Kolisi attended in Port Elizabeth, and an additional 1 000 pairs of school shoes to Jim Mvabaza Senior Secondary School in East London, the high school that Makazole Mapimpi attended.

In addition, MTN will donate new school shoes to a number of other schools along the route that the Springboks' Trophy Tour will travel this week. This donation will form part of MTN's Back to School campaign through which it has already donated multimedia facilities to many of the same schools. The total of 3 350 school shoes will be handed over to school children.

Rugby fans who want to join in the celebrations are encouraged to watch the press for updates and tour details.

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