Clayville’s Plea for Sports Facilities

Mzansi is a soccer-loving nation, and as it seems this is not about to change.

It was only a matter of time before a visionary started identifying talent among the Clayville community’s youth. Kagiso Jackals is the man for this task as he undertook to train future soccer stars helping them escape substance abuse and other social ills.

Coach Kaizer, as his trainees passionately call him, has been a resident of Clayville Ext. 26 since 2002.

Since arriving in Clayville, Jackals has trained young boys from the age of 6 and older, instilling in them discipline and a mind-set for success.

“I must say, the idea is to develop sports in totality. It was easy to start with soccer as Clayville doesn’t have facilities to cater for other sport codes. Even with soccer, we need a sports ground as we have been chased away a few times. We came from across the road where there are houses now, yet we had checked with the municipality and they said the place was not owned by anyone, later it was earmarked for a Taxi Rank and this one a School. As you can see this ground is not prepared we have only cut the grass so we can practice, yet we have a tournament coming up soon,” says Jackals.

Following his passion for sports, in 2012 Jackals registered a soccer Club with Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) as a company under the name IKD’s Sentimental Football Club. He also saw a need for a long-term community initiative and registered a sport development Not for Profit Organisation (NPO), Clayville Soccer Academy Integrated Sports and Recreation Club (CSAISRC).

“The soccer club aims to play in organized football within SAFA structures starting from local football associations. The CSAISRC should participate also within an organized sports structure within the country. My wish is to create a ploughing back field for professionals in all types of sports,” adds Jackals.

Jackals says he would like to see the municipality being more hands on in community development, developing every sport in every street, every ward and regions till provincial. He believes this can be achieved with a different strategy. “I think I’ve got a plan that can forever change our area, if not the whole country. This can even influence the whole continent and the entire world,” says Jackals.

While attempts are there Jackals does not believe believe the government has managed to reach everyone, and he is calling for those in power to take sport and ideas from the ground seriously. “We struggle with facilities in order put our plans into practice. We need assistance to secure land for facilities so that we can see progress in our local sports programme. We need funding and we believe this can also be an opportunity for others as it will create jobs,” adds Jackals