Soccer wards youth off drugs
"With this initiative, we want the youth of Clermont to stay off the streets and do something constructive with their lives. This is one way of fighting crime and keeping drugs off of our streets." Tony da Canha.
IN the active fight against crime and drug abuse among teenagers, Pinetown CPF chairman, Tony da Canha in partnership with Chelsea Spar in New Germany as well as the Pinetown SAPS hosted a soccer tournament in Clermont on Saturday, 21 May. Boys between the ages of nine to 13 were hosted at Clermont Stadium where they played soccer and were encouraged to keep focus on the sport to ensure that they are distracted from doing drugs and resorting to crime.
“With this initiative, we want the youth of Clermont to stay off the streets and do something constructive with their lives. This is one way of fighting crime and keeping drugs off of our streets. Most of these boys are from low cost houses in New Germany in the Solomon Mahlangu area, where there is poverty and in such situations, falling into the wrong influences is comes easily,” explained da Canha.
Coach, Moses Nungu, said without the support of the community, the young men would easily fall into wrong doing. “We train every Tuesday and Friday and although it is not easy as the field we train on is unsuitable to do so. I see great potential from these boys every week. Thanks to the sponsorship from Chelsea Spar for food as well as the Department of Sports and Recreation for the soccer kits and Tony for his continuous involvement,” he said. Nungu said Kwanda Ngonyama of Sundowns and Jabulani Nene of Polokwane are among his protégés.
Clara Zuma, store manager at Chelsea Spar said the food donation was an opportunity for her store to give back to the community it serves. “We look forward to supporting more community orientated events such as this one. We strongly say no to drugs and I am glad that we were able to be part of something as big as this tournament in changing the lives of these young men,” she said.
W/O Muzi Maphumulo of Pinetown SAPS’ Department of Crime Prevention: “We are totally against the use of drugs and as the Pinetown SAPS our theme is sports against the use of drugs. We strongly encourage these boys to say no to drugs and crime.”
