DURBAN: THE SCDIFA Sports, Charitable and Educational Trust, an organisation with a long history of community service, will chalk up another major milestone on Saturday.
The pioneers of the trust made a commitment to develop and promote sport and education, as well as offer welfare services to communities it served. Fifty years later, the organisation’s present board of trustees continue to honour that commitment.
A golden jubilee celebration has been planned for SCDIFA’s headquarters on Newmarket Street, Silverglen, in Chatsworth.
But the organisation’s roots run much deeper than 1967.
In 1914, even though World War I was unerway, some forward thinking Clairwood residents, Aroo Singh, Anoop Goordin, SK Pather, SMB Lazarus, SPP Paul and others looked to provide for their community’s sporting needs.
They formed the South Coast District Indian Football Association and Goordin was elected president of the organisation.
Through resourcefulness and determination of SCDIFA’s committee members, they were able to purchase land on Archary Road in Clairwood and developed cricket and soccer fields.
Some of association’s first affiliates included South Coast United, Springboks, Star of India and Seaview football clubs. And its first football match was staged on April 13, 1914.
Fixtures were held regularly at the sports venue and it became a community meeting place, not only for Indians, but for coloured and African people, who all lived in close quarters.
But that harmony and the work of the association was disrupted when the government of the day decided to industrialise Clairwood, without the blessing of residents.
With expropriation of the sports field a reality, the association’s heads decided to sell the land for R250000 in June 1966.
However, it led to the trust being launched at Isipingo’s Island Hotel, a year later.
Apart from being a
sports-driven organisation, the trust became involved with charitable work and provided bursaries to students.
The trust hatched a clever plan to erect a hall in Silverglen in 1977 and ever since proceeds from its hire has been key to the trust’s philanthropic work.
Chandra Pillay is presently the chairman of the trust. He said that the trust would like to reconnect with former players and members.
For more information, contact Pillay on 0849609977.