Primrose Rugby Club are ready to host the Imam Haron Commemorative Youth Rugby Festival.
FEROZ SHAIK
AWQAF SA in association with Primrose Rugby club and the Imam Haron Foundation launched the Imam Haron Commemorative Youth Rugby Festival at the Primrose grounds in Loch Road on Wednesday, September 18.
The tournament takes place at the Primrose Club sports complex in Kenilworth and will see 68 teams participate over two weekends.
‘Significantly, we host this commemorative Youth Rugby tournament in Heritage month, which is also the month in which anti-apartheid cleric and community activist, Imam Abdullah Haron, was killed in detention by the apartheid security police. He died after being tortured for 127 days on September 27,1969,’ said Awqaf CEO, Mickaeel Collier.
‘This rugby tournament stands as a testament to the significant contributions made by Imam Abdullah Haron to the community. Imam Haron embodied the spirit of leadership in every aspect of community life. From being a devoted father and Imam to a passionate community activist and an anti-apartheid icon, his influence reached even the realms of sports,’ he added.
Present at the launch was Professor Muhamad Haron, son of Imam Abdullah Haron. ‘In a world where identity is often diluted, it is crucial to remember who we are and what we stand for. My father, Imam Abdullah Haron, lived his life as a beacon of social justice, rooted in his faith and his unwavering commitment to equality. Through events like the Awqaf SA Imam Haron Commemorative Youth Rugby Tournament, we not only honour his legacy but also remind the younger generation that their sense of identity should be inseparable from the pursuit of justice and fairness for all,’ said Professor Haron.
‘The ethos of the three-day Commemorative Rugby Festival aligns with the vision of Awqaf SA, the Imam Haron Foundation and Primrose Rugby Club, as it aims to promote social cohesion, and is designed to give the young players a sense of rugby heritage, and to instil within them the values of social justice using sport as a vehicle,’ added Walid Brown, the Chairman of Primrose Rugby Club.
The primary schools will play on September 21 and 22, while the high schools will play on September 28 and 29. All matches will take place at the Primrose sports field and will be live streamed on SuperSport School Sports TV App and live scoring via Web sport.
