By Aphiwe Ngowapi
Makhanda native and international SA All Stars 7s rugby coach Simamkele Yafele recently returned to his hometown to donate school shoes to his primary school, Tantyi Primary. Passionate about sport, Yafele plans to revive sports, especially rugby, in township schools.
Growing up in Tantyi Location, Yafele, from a family of rugby players, began playing at age nine. Introduced to the sport by his uncle, Mpumelelo Mteto Sam (also known as Bra Sam or Gugu), Yafele developed a deep love for rugby. Despite his disadvantaged background and Makhanda’s small-town setting, he worked hard to build a successful rugby career.
Yafele played for teams including the U16 Golden Lions, Eastern Cape Club Rugby, Eye of the Tiger Rugby Academy, and the Harlequins (QBR Pretoria) first team. He competed in major tournaments such as the Gold Cup (member in 2018), the Currie Cup First Division, the Namibia International 7s, the Rugby-Bundesliga Fifteen’s (Germany’s top rugby league), and the Dubai HSBC World Rugby 7s Series. He’s also a member of the SA All Stars Hall of Fame.
Currently an international rugby coach at the SA All Stars Academy in Pretoria, Sima is dedicated to developing underrepresented sports, like rugby, in Makhanda’s township schools. Concerned about the high rate of underage drug use in the township, Yafele aims to start interventions in primary school. “I’ve lost many to drugs,” Yafele says.
As a Tantyi Primary alumnus, Yafele began giving back by donating school shoes. He collaborated with the principal, Priscilla Glover, and Sergeant Mxoli (the local police officer) to develop extracurricular activities. Together, they discussed and planned how to secure the necessary resources and personnel.
Tantyi Primary is a Quintile 3, no-fee school with fewer than 200 students in Grades R-7. Glover explained that teachers’ heavy workload prevents them from leading extracurricular activities. While the school offers after-school programmes, including psychosocial support, and sports like netball and soccer, they lack coaches for other sports, such as rugby.
Sergeant Mxoli, Yafele, and Glover are working to integrate sports into the school’s curriculum for students and the wider Tantyi community, given the school’s close ties to the community.
