Crossing The DIvide: Integrating an Innovative Sports Centre into Community Regeneration and YouthDevelopment in Frankenwald

Abstract

Football in South Africa occupies a central place in the nation's sporting consciousness, that intertwines with the country's complex narrative of struggle, triumph, and reconciliation. For over a decade now, “…the most popular sport in South Africa (in relation to both public entertainment and active participation) has been soccer.”(McKinley, 2010) From what started out as a pastime exclusive to the privileged white elite upon its introduction in South Africa, swiftly became the emerging preferred sport among the black community at the turn of the 20th century. (McKinley, 2010) “Not surprisingly, this rapid spread in popularity set off alarm bells within the corridors of political and economic power, as soccer became emblematic of threatening, socially integrative forces within society…” (Morell, 1996) Football became the thorn in the side of the racist white establishment, who therefore used the full extent of their power, to promote predominantly white sports like rugby and cricket; while simultaneously suppressing and controlling the “…social, economic, and political reach and impact of the (black) sport of soccer.”(McKinley, 2010) This resulted in continued efforts, by the apartheid government, to engineer racialised, socio-political policies aimed at enforcing racial segregation and material inequality in South African sport. As a result, there was a severe lack of football infrastructure and trained personnel, particularly in black urban and rural areas. Along with, “…an almost complete lack of any meaningful/sustained development programmes for black students/youth…” (McKinley, 2010) The institutional framework was racially divided, leading to the emergence of four separate football bodies by the 1980s, South African football became isolated both institutionally and practically on the international stage, remaining confined to domestic leagues. Nevertheless, football would become a catalyst for political shift throughout footballing organisations, with private companies such as Mainstay cane spirit, owned by the Stellenbosch farmer’s, as well as the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) that would broadcast the games played, pouncing on the potential of the crowds of the “black” football market, by providing sponsorships for their competitions.(Bolsmann and Alegi, 2010) Additionally, football played an important role in the abolishment of the apartheid regime and its hold on football. (McKinley, 2010)