Reflections On Pefferville, by Mthetho C. Tshemese Head Coach, Team Pefferville

The Masakhe Iparadise Kwanda Team has had many challenges like any of the other teams. One of the interesting challenges has been how they have dealt with trust, working together, forming and maintaining relationships. Lucas and Clinton heightened this challenge when they stole money from the team.

While it was easy to understand the team's reaction (anger) it was how the team spoke candidly and honestly with hurt, betrayal, and disappointment. When Clinton came to apologise to the team, he took full responsibility for his actions and asked for a second chance. As a coach it was humbling to see the team dealing with their hurt. In a place like "Peffy" one would have expected anger, and violence to be the obvious reactions.

However, they dealt with their anger but never acted on it but instead found a constructive way to deal with Clinton's indiscretion by holding him accountable, remove him from the executive (as he was Acting Chair during Thabiso's absence) but also asked him to pay the money back.

As the team forgave Clinton and dealt with their challenge I wondered about many other communities where people choose violence in dealing with their problems. Forgiveness is one of the difficult things to do, taking responsibility for your actions is even more difficult fror many of us. Masakhe Iparadise has given us a great lesson about being responsible for your actions and forgiveness in how they dealt with Clinton. The question is where Lucas, and the whole of South Africa will take the lesson. I hope so...