From gang den to sports haven

Vereeniging, Gauteng 

A community park in Vereeniging went from a neglected facility that was overrun by criminals to a thriving sports centre and a place of building hope for young people in the community.

It took a local businessman who was frustrated and saddened with the state of a park he played in as a child to launch a plan to turn the facility around in early 2024. He used his own funds to get started, then encouraged other business people to contribute. He also rallied the community to get behind the idea to save and protect the park. Now the facility exists as the Elite Sports Centre and it’s a gem the community cherish.

What was the problem?

The Emfuleni council has over years let public facilities like parks and recreation centre go neglected and unmaintained. Many have over the past decade become vandalised and overrun by drug users and other criminal elements, making the facilities unsafe for children to use or for the public to enjoy. The Vereeninging Park was one of these. It was stripped of its fencing, had no services and had become unusable.

How did they fix it?

Local businessman Xolani Mathumbo, the CEO of Remember Elite Sport Academy, used his love for sports and community to spark a vision to revive the park at the beginning of 2024. Quoted in Citizen News __Mathumbo said: “A child in sports is a child out of court”; understanding that children need healthy activities and influences for a chance to become better young adults who in turn can positively impact their communities. 

He decided not to wait for the authorities and instead used his own funding to clean-up the Vereeniging facility. When he first got there, it had badly damaged infrastructure and no electricity, water or sanitation. 

But as progress on the sports centre became visible he reached out to other business people, asking them to make donations. He also involved the community and more children started to join the club. By winter last year they facility opened it doors as a sports centre with potential to shine. 

Mathumbo says his hope is to keep building on the facility to include more sports codes, including board games, like chess. He added: “The idea is to create hope for all our young people and to create an alternative so they don’t resort to crime… I also want to contribute to the growth in the country through sports and through arts and culture.”

What made it work?

• Putting money into passion project – one person used his personal resources to turn an idea into funding action for change.

• Adopting a step-by-step approach – The project started with addressing the basics. There was cleaning up to do, then securing the premises, then restoring infrastructure. The idea was to tackle the challenges faced by the community, which included crime, vandalism and illegal occupation of public spaces. And once these were more manageable, the next steps could follow. 

• Leaning on business networks – Local businesses have powerful roles to play not just for donations and sponsorships but as a key driver of support for local community upliftment.

• Getting community buy-in – By including more sports programmes, more people feel they can be included. As they become members and supporters they also become caretakers of the place. 

•  Using the media – The success of the sports facility coming back to life was a story that local media were keen to highlight. The more good press the sports facility receives, the more the community will support and care for the facility.

• Celebrating successes – In one year the Elite Sports Centre saw eight of its young footballers turn professional. These successes inspire other young people to get involved and develop their potential.

Acknowledgements:

Author: fixLocal Reporter

Additional articles/sources:

From gang den to sport haven: Businessman gives up on government and fixes community park 

Be like Xolani and roll up your sleeves 

Facebook video 

Photograph: Michel Bega/Citizen News