New Sunday club inspires the men

A GROUP of men from the Thohoyandou area who found themselves at loose ends on Sundays resulting in bad habits such as drinking forming, were the start of the Dam Site Social Club.

This men’s club, which started with seven members in September 2010 has since grown a lot, with at least 20 members currently. Members gather every Sunday and cook a meal, which they enjoy together.

Dam Site Social Club chairperson, Sam Tshitahe said when the club first started, members would each pay R30 to buy meat, tomatoes and onions. “We decided on a neutral venue near Nandoni Dam at the fig tree along the road to Dididi village outside Thohoyandou,” he explained.

Tshitahe said once the club had grown, they decided to invest money by means of a savings account.

“In 2013, we opened a savings account where each member contributed R200 or more. This will be shared among members in December, according to their contribution. Our Sunday contributions reach more than R500, which we also put in the bank,” Tshitahe said.

“We decided to exclude women and girlfriends as men also need time alone together. We advise each other on how to save money, live harmoniously with our families and how to be successful men,” added Tshitahe.

Club member, Mmbekanyeni Nemavhola said life had changed for the better since joining the club because every Sunday he now had somewhere meaningful to go. “We used to go boozing early on Sundays because there was no place to go. We can now smile all the way to the bank in December as well,” he said.

The club would like to provide each member with a club T-shirt, and anyone who wishes to assist can contact Tshitahe at 082 042 0011.