“I love sport and I always have. I grew up participating in just about everything,” says Gakula.
He believes that one of the major problems within the community today is that the youth is left to do whatever they please, without much parental supervision.
• Read: Athletics encouraged in the community
Parents are too busy or completely lack interest in the lives of their own children.
“I am really passionate about the youth. I am a parent myself. We need to get back to a sports culture, to keep the youth entertained, involved and accountable. We used to play games in the streets all day; what happened to that?” he says.
Gakula is currently working on a project to renovate the Langaville sports ground, behind the Ekhaya shopping complex.
“As you can see, today I am here alone working on this netball field. But I don’t mind because I am passionate about my work,” he added.
He also runs the Langaville Athletics, Health and Fitness Academy.
They meet every week day at Langaville Secondary School, at 6pm, for aerobics.
• Also read: Aerobics to keep fit
“I want to make sure that the community, both young and old, are fit and healthy,” says Gakula
He also believes that the government can do better in developing the youth, who are the hope of national sport.
“I know that the government releases funds for such things, but sometimes not into the hands of the correct people.
“People who are not really passionate about the community or sport, but have other motives. The money does not reach the people that it is meant to help. Something is wrong somewhere.”
