Marcello Burricks grew up fast in Cape Town’s tough Slangkop township. Stabbed in a fight at eight, by 14 he had a criminal record for assaulting a teacher.
Golden Mgedeza came from an equally rough area, Johannesburg’s Kwathema township, where he dodged bullets from gangster gun battles at school.
But these are not hard luck stories of South Africa’s hopeless youth. Both men are breaking new ground in sporting history.
As part of Team Shosholoza the former township toughs, with knifing scars and attitudes to match, are the first African entry into the 153-year-old America’s Cup yacht race. They are training to compete in the fabled contest, to be held off Valencia, Spain, in 2007.
The epitome of elitism, the America’s Cup attracts the world’s richest men and top sailors. It is an unlikely arena for the advancement of underprivileged black Africans.
”Many people think we are not serious sailors, but we are proving that we can compete at the highest level,” said Mgedeza (24) who has been sailing around Cape Town for the past eight years.
His prowess won over South Africa’s virtually all-white yachting fraternity to earn him the Yachtsman of the Year award in 2002.
”The new South Africa has made this all possible,” said Mgedeza. ”First I won a scholarship to Simonstown school [near Cape Town] and then I started sailing and I loved it. Opportunities have opened up for us. I hope I am a good example to other kids of what they can do if they work.”
Shosholoza, meaning ”we can work together”, is a popular anti-apartheid sports anthem. The Shosholoza yacht cuts a striking figure on the harbour, emblazoned with bright Ndebele geometric designs.
Team captain Salvatore Sarno, a South African shipping magnate, is widely credited with propelling the team to success. Sarno is an avid sailor who for more than 10 years prided himself on sailing with black African crews.
”It is our duty to push for black empowment,” said Sarno. ”That’s why we have a mixed race crew. It’s vital that the team be a true representation of our people.”
Sarno is heartened by the interest South Africans are showing in Team Shosholoza, such as the hospital porter who asked about the sailing crew’s progress.
In a recent pep talk to the 25 team members, Sarno warned them of the many hardships ahead. But, he vowed, one day you will shake the hand of the president of South Africa and he will say to you: ”Your nation is proud of you.” Everyone signed up to be part of that effort, many leaving their jobs to do so.
But it is not all smooth sailing. Last week several crew members were hurt and the boat damaged when it hit a whale in Cape Town harbour. The whale swam off, apparently unharmed.
Solomon Dipeer (24) came from Johannesburg to join the crew as the pit man, in charge of putting up the sails and spinnakers. He said his mother did not understand what he was doing, but at Christmas he brought her a DVD of the yacht in full sail. ”Now she knows what I am doing and she is very happy,” he said. – Guardian Unlimited Â