Teenagers Football Club

U18’S/TEENEGERS FOOTBALL CLUB

It was once said that Nathaniel Nyaluza is school that has been involved in shaping and developing Graham’s town east. From 1970 soccer was becoming famous and everybody wanted to play. There was a great migration of players from rugby to soccer. A man from Johannesburg Mr Monaheng who came to Eastern to work in police force was very influential in founding black soccer in Graham’s town. Rhodes University, Proteas, Wanderers and Defenders were already playing in Graham’s town Football association. The teams from Grahams town‘s west had the best football fields to play like Village green and Rhodes University soccer field. Now he is the president of the team he founded himselfsoccer. There were only four teams which were Early Birds and Young Tigers from Tantyi location Joza Callies and Eleven Attackers from Joza location. The Grahams town‘s east soccer under Grassa –Grahams towns  soccer association banner .These teams were playing at Egazini field a home ground to teenagers’ Forleys ground in Tantyi  home ground of Early Birds and J.D Dlepu stadium for Joza teams.

In 1975 there was a student uprising, where students’ were joined by the community and their teachers to fight against the medium of instruction which was Afrikaans amongst other things. During that time of a state of emergency people were not allowed to walk in groups or gather as group even indoors. Funerals were only attended by the family and relatives with proof documents. It is true that politics in Graham’s town were led by the students particularly the youth not only from eastern side of Graham’s town, but the west as well  .Students from Rhode University played a major role in fighting the Apartheid regime. Only sport gatherings were allowed not assessed by the police or the peacemakers. So now that they were a team they were able to attend their fellow comrade’s funerals by that time all the political parties were banned by South African government; political activists were getting arrested or getting lost and found dead. So politics operated underground.

A group of students sat in Nathaniel Nyaluza and came up with an idea of a soccer club and a name that will belong in Fingo village. Mr Phila Nkayi now a member of parliament, Rocky who was once a ward councillor Kaya Ntlanjeni, Mthunzi Kolweni and others found a team called U18 later called Teenagers. Their players broke away from the Early Birds and became U18s players’ .As the name suggests, under eighteens, the club targeted the youth. The youth of seventies became the hope for the better future. Youth was the most targeted groups by the police and peacemakers .This team of great minds brought or recruited different racial groups under one flag of Teenagers’ football club. Since they were at foundation stage the needed sponsors for soccer jerseys’ .They approached Fort England hospital for the mentally ill for the assistance of the uniform .Indeed during match days they were borrowed jerseys to play with and return it afterwards.

Captain of Frazier's Chiefs, Mnyamezeli Ngoqo on the left
receiving a floating trophy from the chairman of the soccer board

Since teenagers’ football club was not just a soccer club but a movement started by the youth of Fingo village.Though it was from fingo it recruited people of different races more specially those who were influential in politics like Ashwin Desaily an Indian guy from Rhodes university and van harden who was the journalist .Since the joining of the guys from Rhodes University who had some resources to organize some sponsors for a soccer kit. The first sponsor that was offered to them was from a furniture shop which was Fraser furniture’s but there was a slightly problem. The furniture shop wanted the team to change its name to Frasers Chiefs. The team split into two because of the sponsor and a name change. Those who seemed so desperate for the soccer jerseys broke away from U18s and formed Frazier's Chiefs. This side became the headache for Teenagers on a soccer pitch with players like Mnyamezeli Ngoqo who was their Captain. These two teams brought large numbers of fans to the stadiums to witness the high competence of the teams eventually they found a sponsor from an Indian hair product shop “Jacks Narks”. So gold and black were the colours of the team. When K.W.A.S.B.O Kwazakhele Board of selectors was in Graham’s town for selection of players, they selected a striker of U18s Tindoda Kulati for scoring five goals in a match.

In 2012 South Africa is talking about social cohesion, sport evidently is one of the most effective tool of breaking social and racial boundaries from way back. We also witness that during the 2010 soccer World cup which we were the hosts and that disappeared after the completion. 

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Dakawa Art centre

DAKAWA ART CENTER 

Dakawa Art Center as it looks today.

The centre started in Tanzania in 1986 as part of the African National Congress’s (ANC) initiative to create opportunities for vocational skills. It was called Dakawa project and it was at the base camp which was 60 kilometres north of Mazimbu where the famous Solomon Mahlangu Freedom College was based.

With the help of the Swedish International Development Agency, it was relocated in Grahamstown in 1992 at Froude Street in coloured area where it still stands today. The relocation occurred after the suspension of hostilities between the liberation movements (MK, APLA etc.) and the South African Government. The ANC withdrew its role at the centre to ensure the centre would be self-sustaining and a minimum involvement from the government. The centre was at a late stage given to the community to function as a community centre, assisting the Grahamstown community. People like Vusi Khumalo and Siphiwo Lubambo were the ones who started the Dakawa project back in Tanzania.

These are some of the things you can find at the center, the studios
that host these activities needs immediate attention as they are in bad condition

Presently the Dakawa art centre is under the department of Sport, Recreation Arts and Culture (DSRAC). In means of sustaining the centre, one of the studios was converted into a hall. This hall host performances, conferences and exhibitions among other things. Recently there was a black rugby exhibition about the history of black rugby in Grahamstown.



A mural on the front wall of Dakawa Art center, painted by local artists. 



Every year during the Grahamstown National Arts Festival the Art centre host some of the festival’s performances and exhibitions. One of Grahamstown’s artist held a solo exhibitions during the 2012’s Arts Festival edition.

For Dakawa Art Centre function in a solid and productive way it needs funding and proper management of the centre. At the moment renovation and equipments are the main priorities for the centre. These equipments will help in both developing the community in Arts and sustaining the center. 

By: Jongikhaya Mene