Street cricket
THANKS to Ward 7 councillor Chris Roberts's donation of R14500, youngsters in Schauderville will no longer waste their time in the streets.
Instead they will be either playing or watching cricket when the Schauderville street cricket league kicks off next month.
The initiative is aimed at providing the youth, especially school children, with an outlet, and getting them involved in sport.
Roberts said the reason so many children become involved in drug and gang activity was because they remained idle.
"School sports in the area have collapsed. So I decided that part of discretionary fund will be used to provide equipment, levelling of grounds for playing fields and moving park equipment to make space to play cricket in the area.
"The project is a long-term initiative. Through investing in the kids today we will uplift and stabilise the future of the area through sport," said Roberts.
The organisers of the street cricket initiative are residents of the Allan Hendricks Flats with Jose Welcome as interim chairman. Werner Holland is assisting Welcome, who approached Roberts last month with the proposition. The three men wasted no time in putting the plan into action.
Currently 80 children will be participating in the league in various age groups starting from U11. There will also be a senior division. Roberts is planning to expand the league over time.
"Initially we will only be playing in Schauderville. But I have been speaking to the other ward councillors and principals in the rest of the Northern Areas in the hope that we will be able to expand the league.
"The goal is to one day have suburbs competing against each other for a prize and a floating trophy. Judging by the response we received from the kids in Schauderville it is only a matter of time before it becomes The Northern Areas Street cricket league," said Roberts.