By Samkelisiwe Mhlanga
KOMATI —Young soccer and netball players in Komati are being forced off the field not by defeat, but by injury.
At the local sports ground, children as young as eight are nursing cuts, bruises, and growing fear after repeated falls on a cracked and uneven surface. What was once a place for play has become a hazard, leaving parents and coaches deeply concerned.
“We fall and bleed every day. The ground has stones and holes,” said a 10-year-old player, pointing to a plaster on his knee. “Yesterday I couldn’t run. I was crying.”
Another player, aged nine, shared a similar experience. “My mom said I must stop playing because I always come home hurt. But I love soccer.”
Several other children between the ages of eight and twelve told Komati News Flash that injuries have become a regular occurrence. Many say they are now afraid to participate.
Upon visiting the sports ground, Komati News Flash was met with a neglected field that appears to have been long deserted by its owners. The surface is old, worn out, and uneven. Marked by deep cracks, loose gravel, and scattered debris, including broken glass. It is a clear sign of prolonged neglect and lack of maintenance.
It is a troubling sight, a space meant to nurture young talent has instead become a source of harm. For many of these children, the poor conditions are not only causing physical injuries but are also demoralising their love for sport.
Coach Thandeka, who oversees some of the young players, says the situation has become unbearable.
“We are not happy. Kids are getting injured almost every practice,” she said. “Last week, two boys had to go to the clinic. The grass is gone — it’s just rocks and broken glass.”
She added that efforts to fix the field have been unsuccessful. “We’ve tried to fill the holes with sand, but when it rains, everything washes away. We’ve asked around, but no one seems to know who owns the ground. Some say it’s municipal land, others say it belongs to a church. No one is taking responsibility.”
There are no goalposts, no fencing, and no signage indicating ownership or upkeep.
Efforts by Komati News Flash to identify and contact the rightful owner were unsuccessful.
For now, practice continues, but with caution.
“We tell them to walk, not run,” said Coach Thandeka. “But how do you tell a child not to run when they see a ball? Someone must help us before a child gets seriously hurt.”
For now, the laughter of children on the field is being replaced by pain and fear, and the hope is that help will come before the damage goes too far.
Until action is taken, every game played on the field continues under unsafe conditions that no child should be exposed to.
See more images of the area below
