From gunshots to goalposts, there's safety in sport, says street soccer league organisers

In a community plagued by the sound of gunfire and gang violence, a simple yet powerful goal — to create a safe space for children to simply be children, to play, and to kick ball  — is gaining momentum with the Balls Not Guns inaugural street soccer league due to kick off in Manenberg at the end of the month. The league will cater for juniors from under-8 to under-14.

The launch of the league will be announced once all role players have been consulted, said community activist and Balls Not Guns founder-member, Gloria Veale.

The idea, first mooted nearly a decade ago in 2016, was officially launched in 2018 at Phoenix High School, she said.

The upcoming street soccer league is a continuation of efforts to show that sport really can make a difference, she said, echoing words once famously said by former president Nelson Mandela at the inaugural Laureus World Sports Awards in Monaco in 2000. 

“We believe sport is a platform for deactivating the violence in our communities, building unity and teaching our kids a peaceful way of expression,” she said.

Veale, who calls herself, rather aptly,  ”vision bearer of balls,” said the initiative involves a partnership with Safa Cape Town and other community-based initiatives, and that they are in the process of engaging the City of Cape Town and law enforcement agencies.

“We will be working in a broad network to ensure we are continuously treating the safety of our children as a priority,” she said.

Fellow Balls Not Guns member, Deirdre Richards, has also been involved with the programme since its inception. “Our kids have been traumatised living on the Cape Flats, caught between these gangs that hold our communities hostage,” she said. So the “ball is the tool to help bring peace, caring sharing and togetherness, which is often lacking, she said.  in our households. Änd so by giving space to our kids, we’re also taking back our streets,” she said.

Balls Not Guns co-ordinator Azme Hendricks, a teacher at Phoenix High, said the long-term vision is to keep the Balls Not Guns initiative going and encouraged residents and organisations to get involved.

“Hopefully, with this initiative in our community, there would be fewer shootings and stone throwing because the same kids who throw stones will be playing soccer in our streets,” he said.

Head co-ordinator, André Wessels, roped in by Hendricks to assist with logistics, said the aim is to have a child-safe community and that all may have a ball and not a gun. 

“At this moment, it's very challenging for us to keep the kids active, especially with the gang violence and stone throwing. We set times and open areas so people can see we are busy with positive things in our area,” he said.

“We want to bring back street cricket, touch rugby, street netball, everything that involves a ball, we want to give it back to our youngsters,” he said.

Under-8 and under-10 coach, Mogamat Shahied Jack, is hopeful the programme will have an impact beyond soccer. It is for our community to see that we need each other to make this programme work,” he said. Friends since childhood, Jack, like Wessels, was introduced to the programme by Hendricks and understands the challenges children face growing up in the area.

“We have approached a few sponsors and hope we don't get disappointed,” he said. If you'd like to join, help, or for more information, call 079 389 2692.