South African townships are teeming with talent waiting to be unearthed and nurtured.

That is the view of Kaizer Chiefs star Siphiwe Tshabalala after attending an Under-13 tournament in Phiri, Soweto.

The event, with an educational and sporting theme, featured teams from public schools and outfits from the local community.

Using sport to combat social ills is a cause close to Shabba’s heart. The Bafana Bafana star also believes that talent scouts could do worse that attend these tournaments.

“I think the initiative of hosting tournaments in the township is the way to go. We can discover a lot of talented players who can become the future of our football. I attended one in my hometown and I was surprised by the amount of talent I saw,” Tshabalala said.

“These tournaments are educational and bring both worlds; education plus sports. It also helps with taking the kids out of the negative situations that are affecting our youth today. So I promote such events.”