Giants of Africa, SLAM and JDS Sports Bring Basketball Sanctuary to Johannesburg
There’s a sign outside of Donald Mackay Park in Johannesburg, South Africa that reads, THIS IS YOUR SANCTUARY. PLEASE HELP US LOOK AFTER IT… At first glance it might read as a warning to it’s residents—many of whom are immigrants from the Congo, Angola, Zimbabwe, Cameroon, Uganda—in an area that’s dealt with crime over the years.
But parks are meant to be a place of refuge and safety. It once was according to Patrick Engelbrecht, the Director of Global Scouting for the Toronto Raptors.
“It kind of became a place where people would kind of come to prove themselves and play on these courts,” says Engelbrecht. “It was like a real mixing point where you could play against anybody, that was here..It was a place where anything could happen.”
Together, Giants of Africa, SLAM and JDS Sports’ Play with Purpose initiative set out to turn that warning sign into an invitation for the community to feel empowered. We recently unveiled the newly revitalized double courts at Donald Mackay Park.
https://www.slamonline.com/community/giants-of-africa/donald-mackay-park-courts/