Jack Msibi. (Photo: Thom Pierce_The Actionists) In 2012, Jack Msibi was studying for a business degree from Monash University. His mother owned a building in downtown Johannesburg and the family was financially stable. However, everything changed when his mother’s building was hijacked and taken over by a fake landlord.
Jack had to drop out of university and the family moved from room to room, unable to afford permanent accommodation.
With no money and no job, Jack would go to the park and play football every day. He was a skilled soccer player and soon a few young kids came to practice with him. With nothing else to do, they showed up every day at his door, waiting for the training session to begin.
Seven years later, the practice sessions in the park have grown into a community sports “ministry” called Corinthians. It offers soccer, cricket and netball coaching to the community of La Rochelle in southern Johannesburg.
Jack also started a soccer team for kids who are blind.
The “ministry” part of the programme comes from Jack’s deep Christian faith and is central to the essence of Corinthians.
They are not simply providing a space for people to play sports. They are inviting anyone who needs a refuge, even just for a couple of hours, to attend coaching sessions and, at the same time, engage in conversations around social issues and self-development.
Although the initiative is grounded in the principles of the church, everyone is welcome.
“Where else would you get drug addicts and the police playing soccer together?”
If a young boy comes to play soccer, they will sign him up and engage him in conversations about his home and school life. They will check in and check up, making sure that he has the support he needs if he is struggling at school or if there are issues at home.
But back to the soccer team for visually impaired people. It started with two boys who were nagging Jack about wanting to play soccer. He didn’t think it was possible, but the more they hassled him, the more interested he became. He did some research and he found it was already an established sport.
He approached the local school for the blind – a boarding school that accepts learners from around the country. They managed to put together a team of eight people who now train twice a week.
One of the most exciting things for Jack is that the kids are starting to express an interest in becoming coaches and introducing blind soccer to other locations in the country.
This is what Corinthians is all about to Jack – bringing young people together through sport and providing them with a space where they can start to imagine a future. DM
The Actionists was launched in early 2023 by photographer Thom Pierce. It consists of on-the-ground problem solvers, community activists, climate campaigners and human rights defenders who engage in direct action. They are people anyone can turn to in difficult circumstances: a growing community of people who care about the future of South Africa. Through a series of photographic stories, Pierce profiles these people. Through a website, discussion forum and social media, the aim is to provide ways for people to get involved.
Nominate Actionists in your circle at www.theactionists.co.za or email info@theactionists.co.za
