All they want is a safe place to practice their skills
The desolate conditions several young boys from Ivy Park play soccer in doesn't dampen their passion for the sport.
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POLOKWANE – The desolate conditions several young boys from Ivy Park play soccer in doesn’t dampen their passion for the sport.
Despite numerous attempts over the past four years, their coach Temoso Setati’s appeals to the Polokwane Municipality to help create better playing conditions for the children have gone unanswered, he said. The children play and practice soccer on a small patch of dirt in Ivy Park located next to a scrapyard and a ditch.
“The dirt and ditch pose health hazards and risks for the children as the dust kicked up when they play can cause damage to their lungs when they inhale it. Sometimes the soccer ball is kicked into the ditch and they have to brave snakes and scorpions to retrieve it,” Setati tells Review.
![Braving snakes and scorpions to retrieve a ball from a ditch is but one challenge the players endure.](https://images.caxton.co.za/wp-content/uploads/sites/68/2016/10/IMG_8556_03718-520x390.jpg)
He appealed to the community and businesses to come forward and help to support the children as sponsors so they can develop their potential and stay fit and out of trouble.
Spokesperson for the Polokwane Municipality, Disree Manyane, said the municipality was unaware of any complaints received on the matter.
“I suggest that Setati reports his concerns to the ward councillor in the area so we can look into the matter,” she said.
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