Unfam Skateboarding Standerton inspires youth to take up skateboarding
The goal is to have a safe space to call home and that is recognised as a sports facility which empowers the youth to be active and disciplined.
Unfam Skateboarding Standerton is encouraging young people from Sakhile township and surrounding communities to get involved in skateboarding as a positive and empowering sport.
According to Lindokuhle Xulu, the organisation’s leader, the skateboarding scene in Standerton is steadily growing.
He highlighted that several groups have played a key role in building the local skate culture over the years, including Very Sick Children (VSC) and Mpumalanga Skate, with the more recent addition of SunSetSkateClub.
Xulu explained that a skateboard and grip tape company, Skater Nation, has also contributed to the growth of the sport locally by hosting three skateboarding events and competitions in 2020, 2022 and 2025.
Two of these events were held at the basketball courts at Sakhile Stadium, where regular training sessions take place.
He added that between 2021 and late 2024, local skaters had access to their first indoor skatepark, the Umpakathi Indoor Skatepark.
The facility also created opportunities for other creative movements, such as Creatives Shall Govern, to host exhibitions.
Xulu said their ongoing skate sessions continue to attract younger generations, and together with the events and competitions they host, they are working towards a bigger goal — the establishment of a permanent skatepark.
“Our goal is to have a safe space that we not only call home, but one that is recognised as a sports facility which empowers the youth to be active, disciplined and able to bring positive change to the community,” he said.
The organisation has several activities planned for June, aligning with Youth Day celebrations.
These include a premiere of a skateboarding documentary titled Sakhile Skate, presented by VSC and Unfam Skateboarding Standerton, showcasing local skate brands and organisations.
On Go Skateboarding Day (June 21), they will host a skate jam at the basketball courts at Sakhile Stadium.
Xulu added that they hope to engage with the local Department of Sports, Arts and Culture to assist in building a skatepark, preferably at Sakhile Stadium, where most sporting facilities are located and where skaters are already active.
“The youth of Standerton would appreciate something new, vibrant and something that could even be pursued as a career,” said Xulu.
For more information on skateboarding activities, community members can follow Unfam Skateboarding Standerton and SunSetSkateClub on Facebook and Instagram.
