Defending champions Chiefs will face DRC giants TP Mazembe in the first semifinal to be played at Mmabatho Stadium on July 11 while Pirates will battle it out against the relatively unknown AS Vita.

The finals of the this competition will for the first time in five years be staged outside Durban in favour of Soccer City in Joburg. Gauteng Premier Mbhazima Shilowa welcomed the move to stage the final in Gauteng.

“It is well known that the people of Gauteng are passionate about sport and particularly the beautiful game: football. We are confident that government and the people of Gauteng will make this the best Vodacom Challenge ever. We will not disappoint you,” said Shilowa.

“Our support for this challenge is evidence of our broader campaign to make Gauteng home of competitive sport.

“We will also make it worthwhile for Gauteng-based professional teams to play their games in their home province. We have committed ourselves to see to it that stadiums are in good working condition and have functioning floodlights for night games and improve the transport system to make it convenient for fans to attend games,” Shilowa added.

The winner will walk away with a staggering R1 million while the runners up with bank R500 000. Third and fourth placed teams will collect R300 000 and R200 000 respectively.

Mazembe are making their second appearance in this off-season tournament after losing out to Chiefs in the final last year. The DRC club lost 3-2 on penalties against Chiefs in Durban but this year they have vowed to cause a major upset this time around.

Club chairman Moise Katumbi said his team would be thoroughly prepared when they meet Chiefs. “This year Mazembe is crying Mayi Buye,” said Katumbi. “This is a very important tournament for us. It is eve more important that the Champions League because here you win R1 million for playing two matches while in the Champions League most of the money goes to television.”

Chiefs are however confident of making history by lifting their fourth title since the launch of the competition five years ago. The morale is quite high in the Chiefs camp after annexing their first league title in over 10 years.

“This is the repeat of last year’s final,” said Amakhosi MD Kaizer Motaung. “I would have been worried had we drawn AS Vita as they are an unknown quantity. At least we know what to expect from Mazembe.”

For Pirates, AS Vita might appear to be a closed book but a closer look the Caf Champions League could make some worrying revelations for the Buccaneers, who had a rather disappointing season and are anxious to start on a positive note.

Vita are the current champions in the DRC league, the title they have won 11 times. Like Pirates, Vita have once tasted African club glory after winning the Champions League in 1973. The Congolese club suffered a first round Champions League defeat against Cameroonian club Canon Yaunde in April.

Pirates chairman Dr Irvin Khoza was confidant the Buccaneers would rise to the occasion to claim the Kudu horn. The Pirates boss also highlighted the importance of inviting teams from DRC, which some could argue are not strong opposition for this Challenge.

“It was important for us to invite the teams from the DRC because for us as the committee, it was an expression of solidarity. We are saying that there must be peace in the region and we are reinforcing what President Thabo Mbeki is doing in his efforts to bring about peace there.

“We are also saying to the world, don’t lose focus, don’t sight of what is happening in the DRC because it is the only country in Africa where there is instability. We want peace,” said Dr Khoza.

South Africa and the DRC have grown close closer through the Vodacom Challenge and this has also created a platform for Congolese players strike lucrative contracts with South African clubs. Ajax Cape Town benefited immensely with talented players like Mulekelayi Kanku and Bageta Dikulu.