DURBAN - In a bid to promote social cohesion and reconciliation, a sports day was recently hosted in Inanda with church leaders from Phoenix, Inanda, Ntuzuma and KwaMashu in attendance.
During the July unrest, violent incidents broke out at roadblocks set up by the community in Phoenix in which people were racially profiled, and some were shot dead or assaulted.
During his State of the Province address, KwaZulu-Natal Premier Sihle Zikalala spoke about the reconciliation and healing process that affected communities need to undergo in the wake of the unrest.
Social change non-profit organisation (NPO) Heartlines said since September last year, it, together with church leaders and other NPOs in the province, has been working to help communities in KZN achieve reconciliation and healing.
Heartlines said it first hosted a reconciliatory workshop with 28 church leaders from Phoenix, Inanda, Ntuzuma and KwaMashu, during which the leaders shared their personal stories and reflected on the recent experiences.
Following that workshop, Pastor Sibusiso Mtakati proposed a sports day as a way to demonstrate their commitment and trust in one another.
It was held two weeks ago at the Dr John Langalibalele Dube Stadium in Inanda.
A representative of Heartlines, and one of the event organisers, Craig Bouchier, said the day was an opportunity to show the communities that church leaders in the area are united.
Bishop Johnny Isaacs, who has lived in Phoenix for 46 years, said it was the first time he had been to Inanda.
He viewed the sports day as a meaningful milestone in the reconciliation journey in eThekwini.
“I’m so emotional seeing everyone laughing together. The unity has been incredible to witness,” said Mtakati about the response to the sports day.
The event was also supported by the eThekwini Municipality Department of Sports and Recreation, as well as the Department of Community Safety.
Nabulo Nkwanyana, a representative from the Department of Sports and Recreation, said that the event was an example of the power sport has to unite people in South Africa.
Pastor Jay Naidoo from Verulam, who was part of the initial reconciliatory workshop, said: “It was an amazing experience. We were different groups of people, and we built new relationships. we can see change starting to take place.”
Mtakati added: “Sharing my story was a powerful experience. I felt a great sense of relief. As we were engaging, the idea of using sports came about, because it can bring about change.
“We understand that achieving reconciliation is a process and we are going to have more events in the future.”
Sarah Montgomery, consultant to the KwaZulu-Natal Church Council (KZNCC), was involved in the KZNCC’s work to support church leaders during the July riots.
“In the context of Phoenix, Inanda, Newlands, KwaMashu and surrounding areas, the violence took on a particular slant. We needed to respond to the fear in a way that protects our neighbours and de-escalates violence,” she said.
Montgomery added that the sports day “was a way to explore how we can bring all of those people together to start talking, to start sharing, to start meeting”.
THE MERCURY