Proteas captain Temba Bavuma in test action.
In the dusty, four-way streets of Langa, a young Temba Bavuma used to dream of Lord’s. He would pick the cleanest stretch of tar, the section where the ball bounced true, and christen it after the home of cricket.
Last week, standing at Entuthukweni Primary School in Kagiso, the boy from Langa, now a World Test Champion captain, announced a partnership that seeks to ensure other children don’t have to imagine a better “pitch” for their futures.
Mukuru, the remittance-led neobank, has officially signed the Proteas skipper as its Brand Ambassador. The timing is poetic. As Bavuma prepares for the ‘Road to 2027’, the next ICC Cricket World Cup co-hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia, he is also celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Temba Bavuma Foundation.
For Bavuma, this isn’t just a corporate endorsement; it is a tactical alignment of two entities obsessed with bridging gaps.
Bavuma’s journey is a masterclass in navigating the vast divides of the South African landscape. His transition to St David’s Marist Inanda in Sandton marked the final chapter of a formative educational odyssey that bridged the gap between the township and the country’s elite schooling system.
The path wasn’t always paved. It began with a cricket scholarship to SACS in Cape Town, a ‘jolting cultural exchange’ for a 10-year-old boy commuting from Langa to the leafy shadow of Table Mountain. By the time a family moved to Johannesburg, necessitating a transfer to the prestigious St David’s in Sandton, the ‘outsider’ narrative had shifted.
Bavuma arrived in Johannesburg not as a stranger to privilege, but as a fluent, confident student-athlete who had mastered the discipline and etiquette of the private school circuit. His impact on the institution was so profound that it eventually came full circle. St David’s named its cricket oval after the boy from Langa who once wondered if he was good enough to belong there.
The weight of the Badge For Bavuma
Bavuma has spent a career defying the gravity of expectation. As the first black African to score a Test century and the first to captain the national side across all formats, he has often carried the ‘quota’ tag like a leaden cloak. “The mere fact I was the first black African brought a different narrative,” Bavuma reflects. “Sometimes unwarranted criticism. But the longer you survive, you grow a thick skin.”
His survival has been more than just endurance, it has been a triumph. Under his leadership, the Proteas in June 2025 secured their first major ICC title in 27 years, defeating Australia at the actual Lord’s to claim the World Test Championship. His average as captain (57.78) nearly doubles his career average before taking the reins, proving that, for Bavuma, responsibility is fuel rather than a burden.
The partnership with Mukuru mirrors Bavuma’s own journey from the informal street games of the township to the formal, high-stakes arenas of international cricket. Mukuru serves over 17 million customers, many of whom exist in the ‘informal’ economy, moving money across borders to support families in Mumbai, Maritzburg, and Masvingo.
“Temba is a relatable symbol of resilience,” says Andy Jury, Group CEO at Mukuru. “Kids across the region want to emulate him. As his Foundation celebrates a decade of changing lives, we saw a perfect alignment with our mission to provide the tools people need to build a better future.”
At Entuthukweni Primary, the partnership was put to work immediately. In support of the nationwide Back to School campaign, the Temba Bavuma Foundation donated stationery and dignity packs to Grade 3 and 6 learners.
The Temba Bavuma Foundation: 10 years of change
For a decade, the Temba Bavuma Foundation has operated on the principle that potential is universal, but opportunity is not. Celebrating its 10th anniversary, the Foundation focuses on four critical pillars of social upliftment: Education, through nationwide stationery drives and infrastructure support; Sport, by nurturing the next generation of cricketers in hubs like Langa and Kagiso; Health, through vital advocacy for blood cancer awareness; and Leadership, mentoring youth to “front up” to life’s adversities with the same courage Bavuma showed facing 15-year-old fast bowlers as a child. This holistic approach ensures that underprivileged youth are not just equipped with the tools to succeed, but the resilience to lead.
The collaboration signals a strategic pivot toward the 2027 World Cup. Mukuru is already a major sponsor of the Zimbabwe Chevrons; by bringing Bavuma into the fold, the brand unites the heavyweights of Southern African cricket.
For Bavuma, the mission remains clear. Whether he is locking himself in a bathroom at Centurion to process the pressure of a run-chase or standing in a school hall in Kagiso, he is playing for more than a scorecard.
“I’ve always believed that success comes from what we achieve together,” Bavuma says. “Mukuru’s passion for the game and the community feels like a perfect match.”
As the Proteas captain looks toward the sunset of a storied career and the dawn of a new cricket era, he is no longer just the boy dreaming of Lord’s. He is the man making sure the “Karachi” streets of his youth eventually lead to a level playing field for all.