Township sport development organisations Xhanti Msauli Foundation and Leo Mbini Schools Mbini Rugby Development Programme have expressed concern over how the lockdown will affect sport and the youth.
“We started rugby on a high note having played in at the Dale Under 13 Festival, and now we are locked in our homes.
“We have no choice but to make sure that we do all we can to talk to the children and make sure they understand the danger of the coronavirus ,” Mbini said.
The Schools Rugby Development
Programme depends on pupils participating and schools providing venues.
“When the announcement was made, I had to talk to the young players about what it means for us. The only hope we have now is to overcome this, so that my boys can play again.
“Hopefully we will be able to play some time this year,” he said.
Msauli shared similar concerns and added that the lack of alternatives during the lockdown could lead to young people being distracted by criminal activities and substance
abuse.
“I believe it is necessary to flatten the
curve of the virus by having a national lockdown, but my mission of the foundation was to try and fight criminal activities that the youth would be doing in communities,” he said.
Msauli said he was expecting a drop in the number of boys participating when they re-opened.
“Our rugby games are affected as
we had planned to play on March 31,
April 4 and April 8. Because we are a
development programme, schools
will have to first honour their own fixtures and we might not play a
single game after the lockdown.“
We will have to start from scratch ,” he said.
