It was in 2015 that I would begin documenting Langa with a conscious strategy. Previous to this moment I was photographing mainly my circle of friends, family and the hip hop community within Langa. Around the year 2017, my newly found strategy was to spend time at the Langa Sports Complex. I was also noticing that physical exercise was becoming really considered and very popular. On the other hand, I started jogging as well. During my morning runs, I would note an influx of people with towels and gym attire, heading to the Langa Indoor Sports Complex. They would range from elderly people, weight lifters, track meet runners and young adults. Similarly, I would spend evenings and afternoons at the sports complex, where the sport centre would be occupied by basketball, soccer and netball players.
Playoffs at the Langa Friday Netball between Double Action VS Vineyard Team, 16 September
Information Board at Langa Sports Complex, 23 August
Next year, the City of Cape Town will host the Netball World Cup, which will begin on Friday, the 28th of July to Sunday, the 6th of August. It will be hosted at the International Convention Centre. According to the World Cup Netball website, South Africa qualified automatically as the host of the World Cup. Importantly, Langa Sports Complex will be one of the sports facilities used during the tournament.
During my usual walk in Langa, I came across a group of players and a coach, training mid-morning at Johnson Ngwevela. They had invited me to a play off later that afternoon. While speaking to one of the coaches and co-founder, Nokuthembela Mini, she mentioned that they started the team in 2016. Mini and Mxolisi Masepe, another netball coach, had started with three divisions: a male team, a female team and a woman over 40-years old team.
Coach Nokuthembela Mini, umpiring at the Langa Netball Friday, 16 September
Johnson Ngwevela Hall and Sport Centre
Johnson Ngwevela Hall and Sport Centre
Coach Vanessa Langevelt of Hurricanes Premier Netball, and Wanda Kobo during training at Johnson Ngwevela. Coach Langevelt runs coaching clinics for players preparing for Club Champs happening on the 1st of October at Stephen Reagan Sports Field, Mitchell's Plein, 16 September
Vuyiseka Ketani, Hurricanes Premier Netball Player.
The playoffs I was invited to that evening typically occurs every Friday at Johnson Ngwevela. It involves extra mural activities for primary schools around the area and the Langa Netball Club for juniors. “The aim is to take Netball to higher competitive levels and develop a tournament for the youth of Langa. The team is growing everyday. Now we have juniors who joined in July this year. The total number of players we have to date is 120 from different communities.” elaborates Mini.
Coach Nokuthembela Mini, refereeing at the Langa Netball Friday, 16 September
The Hurricane Juniors team share a conversation on the sidelines, 16 September
"Our aim is to empower and promote the welfare of the youth. Promote the youth within the Langa community and wired communities." Coach Mini
16 September
Coach Zikhona from Double Action Netball team speaks to her team mates during a short break at Langa Netball Friday, 16 September
Coach Lisakhanya and Vineyard Team, 16 September
The Hurricanes Team, 16 September
Double Action Netball Team, 16 September
The Hurricanes VS Double Action, 16 September
