Mkhize, Khabazela, Wena Wasembo – The Young Swallow Flying High

JOHANNESBURG: On a familiar street in Kagiso, the sound of leather on willow is beginning to echo a little louder, and for Zizi Mkhize, it’s the sound of a dream coming full circle as Cricket South Africa (CSA) continues to stay true to its mission of making cricket accessible to all those who want to play it.

CSA, alongside one of its brightest young talents, handed over newly installed cricket net facility to Thembile Primary School, just a stone’s throw from Zizi’s home on Thursday.

The handover brought together CSA and Lions representatives, hub coaches, educators, and a group of eager KFC Mini Cricket participants from the school, all united in celebrating the milestone.

Zizi’s story started in the very same community, where he first picked up a bat through the KFC Mini Cricket programme. From informal games on the sidelines while accompanying his father, respected local coach Thokozani Mqina, to structured development through the Kagiso Hub, his rise has been both steady and inspiring.

That journey reached new heights in December 2025 when he was named Player of the Tournament at the CSA Under-16 National Week in Boland, helping guide the Lions U16 to a national title. The accolade came with a cricket net installation voucher sponsored by Sports Construct.

Zizi donated the voucher to the Eyethu Yarona Foundation, and together with the family, Thembile Primary School was identified as the ideal home for the facility.

This latest installation expands access even further within Kagiso, ensuring more children can engage with the sport in a meaningful way.

For many of the learners, this represents more than just a training facility, it’s a gateway to possibility.

For the 16-year-old Mkhize, this is far more than infrastructure. It’s about access, opportunity, and creating a space where the next generation can begin their own journey in the game.

“Today is more than just a handover. It is a full-circle moment,” said Mkhize.

“Cricket has given me more than just a bat and a ball. It has given me discipline, belief, and a vision bigger than myself. And along this journey, I have come to realise something powerful: success means very little if it doesn’t reach beyond you.

“This facility is not simply a structure. It is a space where potential will be shaped, where dedication will be tested, and where futures will quietly begin to take form. It is a place where effort will echo long before recognition arrives.

“I was fortunate. I had people who guided me, challenged me, and opened doors for me. And because of that, I carry a responsibility; not just to play the game well, but to grow the game where I come from. This initiative is my way of honouring that responsibility.

“Because true progress is not measured by how far you go alone, but by how many others are able to rise because you chose to give back. And this is only the beginning,” Mkhize concluded.

Now a bursary student at Jeppe High School for Boys and already making waves in provincial cricket, Zizi continues to walk a path shaped by talent, discipline, and purpose. But it is his commitment to community that sets his story apart.

As the sun sets over Kagiso, the nets at Thembile Primary stand ready, not just for Zizi, but for every young boy and girl with a bat in hand and a dream in mind.

And for many of them, that dream has never felt closer.

Source: cricket.co.za

Alan Kourie was a spinning all-rounder who was apparently as boring to watch as Ken ‘Slasher’ Mackay, but he was effective. His bowling was just adequate. His stats were 16 matches, 23.94 average, 69 high score, 38 wickets, 33.90 average, 6-55 best, and three five-wicket innings.