MTN's Senior Manager of Sponsorship and Events, Bongani Ntshingila, has weighed in on the absence of Kaizer Chiefs from this season's MTN8 tournament, stating that it did not significantly affect the competition's overall impact.
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Speaking at the Goals For Charity initiative in Diepkloof last week, Ntshingila responded to questions about Amakhosi's absence after they finished 10th in the league.
"It's what the MTN8 is all about, it's wafa wafa (do or die). Each and every single team is treated the same and we want all the top teams – and there are 16 of them by the way – and we want them all in the MTN8," Ntshingila explained.
Despite the noticeable absence of one of South Africa's most popular clubs, Ntshingila remained optimistic about the tournament's continued success. "Yes, with some teams it makes it easier for us to activate the platform, but one can say without Kaizer Chiefs last year, did we lose much? Probably a couple of fans.
"But honestly speaking, based on the innovation that we bring to the tournament and teams like Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates and all of them bringing it in the tournament, you find yourself in an environment where it doesn't matter which team it is, they will always make an impact in the MTN8," he added.
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