June 16 – a special day in Soweto

Today is June 16, Youth day in Soweto.
Today, 34 years ago, the uprising against apartheid started.
In this article you will meet the uncle of Wire (the boss at the Blitz-office).
He was there when it started.
This is his story.

My name is Brian Tshabalala.
I live in one of Soweto's suburbs called Protea Glen.
I studied at Morris Isaacson where the student uprising started boycotting the Afrikaans as our first language. We were made to study all our subjects in afrikaans and we did not like it since we were under oppression.
The student organized a protest march to make our consent heard but things did not go well. It was June 16 1976 Morris Isaacson when it all started. Some kids were shot by police and Hector Pieterson was one of them. Some of our fellow students had to go on hiding (exile) because police were looking for them.
In 1979 february I had to go to exile too.
I landed in Botswana were I found some South Africans in Brouhurst (Gaborone) at a village called Otse (farm) and it was a PAC struggle Camp. We had to choose between education or military training and I chose military training. We trained from 1979-1980 in November. In 1981 I went to Zimbabwe for further training and I went back to Botswana in May\June.
After that we were deported back to our country (South Africa).

It is good for us to host the World cup, the biggest football Tournament in the world, for unity and prosperity. For other countries is to experience the beauty, hospitality and to learn the notion of Ubuntu that was kept away from them by apartheid.
We wish to win this cup for unity sake.
As a youngster I thought that we will play one day in the World cup.
The stumbling block was the apartheid era and it kept us from participating among the world best.
We had best player and we would have won the cup with that. The likes of Jomo Sono, Teenage Dladla to name a few. That was our germs and they played oversees.

The World cup first gives us an opportunity to explore other countries cultures.
Football is a universal language and it unites cultures.

There is still a future for the Rainbow nation and the country is democratically young.
Democracy is a process and I think we will prosper.

Written by Wire

PS. You can read more about Youth day and the activities today at: http://www.joburg.org.za/content/view/5342/266/

Interview with a young girl

It is World Cup-fever in South Africa, and we go on with interviews from Blitz Academy´s school program.

Itumeleng Mashego, 13 years old, from Moletsane (Soweto).
Lumelang Primary School (grade 7).
"I live with my grandmother and siblings. I'm a netball player at school and I love it a lot and my dream is to represent my country.
During the school program I learned to play volleyball and basketball and I fell in love with it.
I was there on the first school program and I came back for the second time because I had nothing to do, that was depressing for me. So I decided to join. Lucky for me I was not turned back.
The coaches are the best,understanding and they made us feel welcomed and I trust them."
Wire

The show starts today

I have been a driver at the volunteer center and I drove a guy by the name of Stefan from Germany. Think about that.
It´s an amazing thing to meet so many people at once. It feels like a festival in winter here but the cold cannot dempen the spirit of the World cup.
There was a lot of practise around the stadium. One of the things that happened was the flying of the F16 fighterjet around the stadium. And the sound they made was unbelieavable.
I am anticipating a supershow today.
Thabiso

It is here

Feel it, it is here.
Blitz leader Thabiso Mifi shows a new World Cup-t-shirt.
This is a slogan for this first World cup in Africa (South Africa).
It is not only for South Africa but for the rest of Africa.
I'm proud to be a South African.
Over the weekend there were Prayer meetings in the churches and a Sunday football vibe, where they dressed in their football gear.
Feel it, it is here.

The boss at the Blitz-office

Since the school program has a break during the World cup we will have some other things on the blog.
Today we present Wire.

Hello, my name is Aretha "Wire" Tshabalala.
I'm a former football player, played for Soweto Ladies F.C and Women's national team(94-98)and played Basketball (S.O.T.S). I live in one of the townships called Naledi (star) with my mother, brother and sister (twins).
I spend five days (mon-fri) from 10h00am-16h30 at Blitz Academy of Sports office situated at Entokozweni Community Centre in Moletsane. I'm an office administrator, teach leadership in sports and I train kids and mentally unstable people.
Blitz Academy of Sport its a Non-profit making organization that deals with sports leadership and also we use sport as a tool to address social ills.
I'm dedicated to my work at Blitz because I love sport and since Blitz is an academy of sport that loves its community we have something in common. Through my years as a soccer player I learned a lot so I want to give back the knowledge to my community (learn and teach).
Everything starts in the heart.
Since my involvement at Blitz I have seen my colleagues use the education they got from our friends from Sweden to get jobs and kids get to explore in different sporting that Blitz cater in.
In one of our programs we take 120 kids away from the streets for 1 hour in three days of the week.
Some never seen handball in their lives but thanks to Blitz leaders now they are exposed to the sport.
Our cooperation with IF Vaster means a lot to Blitz for its well being. More as specially with the connections that was created on our partnership.
For Blitz If Vaster is like a Mother body of NPO's.
In 2006 January we attended a leadership training with 40 women and men sports lovers from different sports backgrounds (one of three). 3 ladies and 3 men were chosen to go to Sweden for the third course.
In 2009 I came as a coach for the under 14 boys that went to play In the biggest youth tournament in the world Gothia cup.
My dream is to study and get more education in sports. I think sports is my calling because I love it. More especially when it involves kids.
For me the World cup is not only for South Africans but for all the countries that helped our country during the oppression. We made history for hosting the first world cup in african soil.
Bafana Bafana is now 90 percent ready and I think is good. Every where you go around Soweto you can feel the vibe of World Cup.

Wire

The last day - this time

This was the last day of the school program.
The kids were happy to be with us and sad that it was the last day.
Every day when we finish for a day the kids follow us to the office singing fun song such as Thula mama.
Wire

Looking forward to the World Cup

South Africa is getting there with the mood. This time is Africa time and the football time. Many houses and cars in Soweto are hanging flags out to be seen that they love football.
We dedicated this week for football and we have more ladies in the program.
Wire