Photography Life

Soccer coach Gino Williams was just a boy of about 10 when he ran through chaos from this soccer field as police fired on the community gathered there in Paballelo, a township of Upington in 1985.

The historical soccer field in Paballelo

The Paballelo community used the soccer field for town meetings at the time, as they were forbidden to use any building, since gatherings of 5 black people or more were banned by the Apartheid government of the time, for fear that they were conspiring against the government.

During this meeting, Gino tells us, Police arrived and warned them that they had 5 minutes to disperse. According to Gino they were not given these 5 minutes before police began firing tear gas into them. Many residents were injured. A very scared little boy, Gino ran with the others, then remembered his mother was barefoot and ran back to look for her.

Some time later a fight broke out just behind the soccer field, between residents and a local policeman. There was much anger over the shooting and as the anger and frustration grew, the policeman ended up being killed by necklacing; the term used for when a tyre is placed over someone’s head so it sits around the neck and is set alight.

26 men were charged for the murder. The Upington 26 was the name given to the case and the men held in prison during the long trial:

“The Upington 26 story details the events of the killing of a policeman in Paballelo and the dramatic trial that followed. In 1985, at a soccer field near the entrance of Paballelo, the Paballelo community gathered to discuss rental problems they were experiencing. The events that followed entail tear gas being thrown by the police, the crowd panicking, an 11 year old boy being shot and paralysed by the police and a policeman being killed. Fifty-four people were held after the riot, 26 were charged and 14 people were sentenced to death, including a 60-year-old woman and her husband, for the so-called ‘common purpose’ killing of the policeman. They were all eventually released.” (http://www.openafrica.org/route/kalahari-oasis-route)

Soccer training, carry them accross the field

Now in his early 30’s, Gino works for the Upington council and started this soccer club as his own initiative five years ago. He believes the youths need to be kept busy in this positive way. He tells us that many of his players live in depressing situations, in very poor circumstances, but that you wouldn’t know it to see them on the field. He believes being part of a soccer team keeps them out of crime and away from local gangs and he points out several boys as specific examples, saying that he has seen real change in them.

He points out some difficulties although there is no need. We can see the state of their training field, it is littered with glass and other rubbish and one of the goal posts has been sold for its metal. The local stadium is far too expensive for them to hire, he explains. Perhaps the most worrying, and yet what would seem the most basic, is transport between venues for games.

Games are often in different towns around Upington and taxis and buses are far too expensive. So the teams have to travel on the back of bakkies (utes) at the mercy of the driver. In this way accidents have happened, Gino shows us his hand that it seems has had massive skin grafting and he calls over a player to show us the huge scar across his head. It seems they were lucky, 3 of his players are no longer able to play.

Soccer training, musical footwork

We photograph their soccer training, which, in keeping with South African initiative that we have encountered, is entertaining and inventive. Footwork drills are carried out energetically and musically – I marvel when I hear their counting in unison change to song.

This weekend the games are at their local stadium, walking distance.

Keturah de Klerk - Photography Life