Social activist Nhlanhla Lux is gearing up to host the Township Olympics in Dobsonville, Soweto on Saturday.
The aim, he shared, is to keep the youth occupied ahead of holidays and to reclaim the sporting facilities that have been hijacked by drug dealers in the townships.
Formerly called the Soweto Olympics, the tournament will now include all communities and racial groups. The Township Olympics will be hosted in different communities every six months covering summer and winter legs.
“The youth are constantly stolen from us by gang-violence, teenage pregnancy and drug addiction, so we are taking back our communities, especially from drug dealers and replacing crime-fueled activities with sporting activities,” Lux told Sunday World.
He said fixing the sporting facilities in the townships has nothing to do with money, noting that it is more about leadership.
“Government needs to use their power correctly, this is not a money issue but a leadership issue. The soccer fields and sports facilities [in the townships] are in a bad state and it gets worse as the years go by.
“It saddens me that the government has chosen to relax and watch as townships struggle. They are more concerned about making a quick buck and political issues, the rich are getting richer, and the poor stay poor.
“The people with resources and a budget for sports facilities are not fixing the facilities. The Soweto derby is called Soweto derby with more foreign players and less or rather no Soweto footballers [taking part]. We will challenge that,” said Lux.
Entry to the Township Olympics is free and the townships that will participate include Soweto, Tembisa, Alexandra, Kathorus, Mamelodi, Atteridgeville, townships from Free State and townships from North West.
Lux sent a message to the drug dealers: “The time for politics is over. We know that the drug dealer has government on their payrolls, you bought government over. But the people will rise. Tomorrow there will be no more drugs on our streets.”
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