Africa's Game


  • Photographer
    Keturah de Klerk
  • Prize
    Honorable Mention
  • Company/Studios
    Photography Life
  • Date of Photograph
    Nov09-Jan10

Football in South Africa is a part of the culture and lifestyle of the people, whether they play the game or not, it is a passionate part of their lives. Football fields, whether official or not, are placed centre of townships and villages. During games, any penalty shoot-out will mean that the crowd rushes onto the field, enveloping the goal area in a semi-circle ready to jump, dance and cry out at each attempt for goal. But it’s not just about games. Clubs are created by locals as a way of motivating and teaching life skills to ‘at risk’ youth.

Story

Football in South Africa is a part of the culture and lifestyle of the people, whether they play the game or not, it is a passionate part of their lives. Football fields, whether official or not, are placed centre of townships and villages, an important feature of social life. Passion is evident on the faces of players and fans alike.
But it’s not just about games. Clubs are created by locals as a way of motivating and teaching life skills to ‘at risk’ youth. One soccer field in Paballelo in the Northern Cape, was once the township’s meeting place during Apartheid as they were not given permission to meet in public buildings. It became the scene of a violent clash between residents and Apartheid government police back in 1985. Now this same field hosts football training for youths of the area, allowing them to learn life-skills and providing direction for the future. One of the players training on this field told us he ‘loves playing football’ and that the coaches ‘are like a father figure’ to him. One such coach, Gino Williams remembers the clash of 1985, as he was then a boy looking for his mother during the chaos. He now coaches everyday at this football field and collaborates with police and his community on improving relations. His club’s motto is: ‘A child in sport, is a child out of court’.

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