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Anti-Brexit graffiti is seen in an underground area as people skateboard in London.
Skaters from various towns gathered to showcase their skills at the Kimberley Diamond Cup, an event that highlighted the growing popularity of skateboarding as an extreme sport in South Africa.
For many participants, skateboarding is much more than just a hobby. Regolele Pule, one of the skaters, shared how the sport has shaped his life.
“I’ve had the opportunity to travel the world. I don’t think I would have gotten that anywhere else, whether it was academically or anything else. It has also given me the chance to interact with different people from all over the world. As skateboarders, we’re all very unique and have different personalities. Having that family-like relationship at the skate park has helped me deal with a lot of personal issues,” Pule says.
This is Pule’s first time participating in the Kimberley Diamond Cup, and he expressed his excitement about the opportunity: “I’m happy for such platforms,” he adds.
The event also included lessons for skaters of all ages, aimed at growing the sport and developing the next generation of skateboarders. Stakeholders believe that these efforts will not only encourage youth development but also contribute to the growth of the provincial economy.
Nontobeko Vilakazi, the MEC for Sports, Arts, and Culture, highlighted the importance of skateboarding as a positive outlet for youth.
“We want to make sure that our youth are safe from all these social ills. As for social development, that’s where we come in—to work on behavioural change and provide socio-social support to youngsters so that they know that getting involved in drugs won’t take them anywhere. Engaging in sporting codes is the only way we can save our kids in the province,” Vilakazi explains.
Andile Mlawu, the project manager of the Kimberley Diamond Cup, emphasized the event’s broader objectives.
“The main objective here with the Kimberley Diamond Cup is to use the platform to drive the marketing of the province as an extreme sports destination, while also focusing on youth development and economic growth,” Mlawu says.
As part of the long-term strategy, various programs will be held across different provinces to expand the reach of skateboarding nationwide.
The main competition will return to Kimberley in March next year, continuing to bring attention to the sport and the positive impacts it has on South Africa’s youth and economy.
