The sound of splashing water accompanied by loud screams of excited young children echoed around the Mthatha public swimming pool on a sunny Thursday afternoon when it finally opened its gates to the community for the first time in almost a decade. Having been forced to close its doors due to neglect and rampant vandalism, the facility was brought back to life as parents and authorities from King Sabata Dalindyebo local municipality, led by mayor Nyaniso Nelani, officially cut the ribbon to signal the reopening of the pool. Young swimmers, some as young as three years old, could not wait to dive in and showcase their swimming abilities.
It was a feel-good moment for families who had watched the pool stand empty and vandalised for years. Among the children was 15-year-old Athule Mpepanduku, who stepped onto the pool deck with a mixture of pride and relief. “Swimming is a life skill.
If a child knows how to float or turn onto their back when they’re tired, that alone can save them.” For him, the reopening could not have come at a better time. “It means a lot, especially during the festive season. “It keeps us away from violence and drugs because now we have something to do, and it’s a life skill we can learn.” He said the reopening of the pool gave hope to aspiring competitive swimmers in Mthatha.
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“Mthatha is developing in swimming. We’re not at the level of Pretoria, where I come from, yet, but we’re going towards that.” The atmosphere around the pool matched his optimism.
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