Masonga, who describes himself as a lifelong football enthusiast, said the intervention was targeted at Sidzibe, where he believes sport can play a critical role in redirecting young peopleās energy. āI chose Sidzibe because they are very much interested in soccer; they are trying to resuscitate their team,ā he said. āThere is too much alcohol in Sidzibe and there is violence.ā To support the revival of local sport, Masonga has also allocated land opposite the business centre for the social team to clear and use as a playing field.
āThe focus on sports is a deliberate strategy for behaviour change,ā he said. āWhen they spend time on sports, they will move out of all the problems we are facing.ā He added that sport can create positive community spaces, drawing people together for games and offering alternatives to drug and alcohol use. āWe are very happy that we are concentrating on assisting the youths,ā Masonga said.
He explained that the soccer kits were sent to him by a friend based in the United Kingdom, and that he decided to distribute them among schools and a local team in his ward. After considering Siwazi, Sidzibe and JZ Moyo High School, he said Siwazi Secondary and Sidzibe had the greatest need. Masonga said he hopes the donation will inspire pupils to give back to their communities when they grow older.
