Catching Up With Thapelo

Today was a great day starting with an early rise and ending with an evening in Stellenbosch, sharing dinner with some friends.  It was lovely.  In between we spent the hours of the day with Thapelo, captain of the 2008 Homeless World Cup team.  It was so wonderful to catch up with him again and to spend some time together in Cape Town.

The day began in his new home.  He’s staying at a place in Woodstock now so he can be closer to the city and to the tutoring he’s getting at the University of Cape Town.  An incredibly smart and driven student, he didn’t get as good of scores as he hoped in his final math and science exams due to all his practicing for the Homeless World Cup. He is now spending this year with a tutor, preparing to retake the tests and get the scores he wants in order to ultimately begin studying at a university and pursue a degree in the engineering field.

Thapelo's New Home

The Study Corner

After visiting his home, we interviewed him in the park in his neighborhood.  There was a sports team practicing there and none of us knew exactly who they were but eventually Thapelo realized they were a team from Wits University and their captain was former Bafana Bafana football here, Eric Tinkler.  Mr. Tinkler was very gracious as Thapelo introduced himself as the captain of last year’s Homeless World Cup team and Thapelo took his picture with one of his heroes, which was really exciting!

Afterwards, Thapelo, Demetrius and I hopped a cable car to the top of Table Mountain for some beautiful shots on the top of this South African icon.  Thapelo told us about the coming of age ritual he will soon go through.  It is the Xhosa tradition for him to officially become a man and leave his boyhood behind.  There was something picturesque about him explaining leaving his childhood and beginning his new life with all of Cape Town and the Atlantic Ocean to be seen in the distance behind him, open to him.

We are gearing up for tomorrow, the trials for the 2009 keeper (or goalie) for South Africa’s Homeless World Cup team.  Rumor has it, most of the guys from last year’s team will be there, Martin will be playing for his place on the 2009 team and the community will be rallying behind all of these guys.  Rasta, Sandile and Thapelo are offering their guidance as peer leaders/coaches.  I think it should be a pretty fantastic day.

Thapelo with Eric Tinkler

Apr 10, 2009 | Categories: Environment, Featured, Personal Stories, Sports, blog, making the film | Tags: Bafana Bafana, Cape Town, Christina Ghubril, Demetrius Wren, documentary, Eric Tinkler, football, From Us With Love, fuwl, South Africa, Street Soccer, Table Mountain | 1 Comment »