Swallows Rugby Football Club took a break off the field to visit McKaizer Old Age Home in Currie Street on Sunday.
Swallows Rugby Football Club took a break off the field to visit McKaizer Old Age Home in Currie Street on Sunday.
Honouring the legacy of Nelson Mandela on his birthday, the team washed the senior citizens’ vehicle for them. Swallows coach Phillip Oerson said that the gesture is a reminder that we all will grow old someday and need a helping hand.
Oerson also reflected on the inspiration brought forth by Mandela, highlighting his humility, love and patience to achieve greatness.
Oerson, who played rugby as a youth in the days of apartheid, explained how coloured players, regardless of their potential, were overlooked by the national squads.
“We could’ve became Springboks at that time because we had the passion and talent but due to the barriers that came with the ruling system of that time we were denied such chances.”
Swallows eighth man Richard Marks said “As from now on Swallows will try and do a bit for the community and today we want to show the McKaizer old people that they are not forgotten and this is only the start.”
Though it was a small gesture of goodwill, the residents saw it as a blessing.
“I am very happy of what Swallows has done, we appreciate it on this Mandela Day. It is good that they are not only focused on rugby alone but the rest of the community as well,” said Nicodemus Janse van Rensburg, the driver at the centre.
Nobuntu Mdoko (77) feels good to be at the centre but still misses her husband and family. Mdoko, who survived hurtful allegations of witchcraft from her neighbours in the Extension 9 community, is a bright-minded senior citizen with great faith in God.
“It’s nice to be here, people come to feed us with the gospel.” In the 50s, Mdoko was involved in rallies, fighting for freedom.
“We never slept at the time and after 9pm nobody wanted to be in town. The purpose behind the resistance was to abolish the pass.”
Nevertheless Mdoko still feels that those days were much better than the present, saying “People are denying the love of God but yet in our days we used to pray all the time.”
Mdoko admires Mandela’s work in reshaping the country, saying “We were in a bad struggle but Mandela died for us in jail and for that I say ‘Phambili (long live) Madiba’ until the end.”
