"I allowed myself to decide my own destiny, based on what I was taught. To know right from wrong and to separate sense from nonsense. This is my message to the youth," says Elvis Shishana, now a vice president of the South African Football Association (SAAFA), who visited various local schools this week to distribute sports equipment.
During his visit to schools, including Imekhaya, Garden Route and TM Ndanda Primary Schools, as well as Indwe Secondary School, he used this message to inspire learners.
"Sport is my passion and will always be. I know I can inspire the youth to greater participation in recreational sport as part my mission in offering them something in the place of turning to substance abuse and crime," Shishana explains. Being schooled at both Imekhaya and then Indwe, he was an active member of various student organisations who focused on setting up sport structures.
Actively participating in football from an early age, he became the secretary of the Mossel Bay's local football club at the tender age of 14. Having sustained an injury that would take him off the field for good, he turned his focus to sports administration, eventually setting up a coaching school and founding the Channel Chiefs football club who played in the SAB League.
Elvis continued on his road of success becoming the President of SAFA Eden and then Western Cape, to where he currently serves on the national executive committee of SAFA.
Despite rubbing shoulders with VIPs in both the sports and political world, Elvis still hasn't forgotten his roots and dreams big dreams for Mossel Bay. On 29 November he will be launching his Elvis Shishana Outreach Foundation, focusing on football development at the Garden Route Casino.
"It starts in Mossel Bay and I dare say, bigger things are coming this way," he smiles wryly.
He is shocked about Senzo Meyiwa, the late Bafana Bafana captain who was gunned down on the East Rand last Sunday in a suspected robbery.
"Senzo was a dear friend of mine and I have spent some good moments with Senzo. I will solemly miss him. Indeed whoever did it, has certainly robbed the country one of of it's great assets."
Elvis confirmed that Senzo will be laid to rest tomorrow in his hometown KwaMashu, Durban.
Without giving away the game, he explains that his foundation will focus on rolling out specific intervention programmes to combat the social ills that youth in Mossel Bay fall prey to. These programmes have been developed based on extensive research and a pilot programme is already being run successfully the troubled Khayelithsa neighbourhood in Cape Town.
"It was great to encourage the youth of Mossel Bay this week, because I have been where they are. I know what they experience, but I also know that success can be achieved," he concludes.
Elvis Shishana hands out football gear at TM Ndanda Primary School in JCC Camp, where Shishana was born. "My return was a very emotional experience."
ARTICLE: CORNELLE CARSTENS, MOSSEL BAY ADVERTISER JOURNALIST
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