HUMANSDORP – The president of the Humansdorp-based Douglas Matsha People’s Association (Domapa), Loyiso Matsha, has raised urgent concerns about Kouga Municipality’s plans to allegedly demolish two tennis courts in KwaNomzamo to make way for a car wash facility.
Matsha, a professional tennis coach based in Johannesburg and former triple South African u/18 tennis champion from the 1970s, said the decision would destroy any hopes of reviving tennis in the Humansdorp area.
“I heard from official sources that the two dilapidated KwaNomzamo tennis courts, built in the 1980s, will soon be demolished. A car wash facility will be built there instead. This is disturbing and most unwelcome news,” Matsha said.
The tennis coach revealed he has been planning to relocate to Humansdorp and establish a tennis academy in the area, transferring his successful Johannesburg-based operation to the Eastern Cape town.
“I was thinking of relocating to Humansdorp in the near future, and thus transferring my successful Johannesburg-based tennis academy to Humansdorp. With the removal of the tennis courts, this seems like an impossible dream,” he explained.
Matsha, who won the South African u/18 championships in both singles and doubles during the 1970s, said he had appealed to the municipality for the construction of six tennis courts with a cottage next to the tennis courts, which will house a caretaker.
He said that Domapa has offered to pay the salary of the caretaker.
However, Matsha claims that the municipality never responded to his proposal.
“A nationally sanctioned tennis tournament needs a minimum of six tennis courts.
“Thus, I have appealed for the construction of six tennis courts, with a residential tennis coach residing on the premises. Kouga Municipality never gave me a reply,” he said.
At a meeting with municipal officials recently, Matsha was allegedly informed that only one multipurpose court would be built at the KwaNomzamo sports ground, serving both tennis and netball.
“This will kill tennis, as the tennis and netball players will constantly be fighting for territory,” said Matsha.
The tennis advocate expressed frustration that Humansdorp, which he described as “once a haven for tennis in the 1940s until the 1980s,” was about to lose a golden opportunity to benefit from a coach with international experience.
“The tennis fraternity is very perturbed by the municipality’s action. It seems that Humansdorp will lose a golden opportunity to have a tennis coach with international experience coming to the area, and helping Kouga to prosper,” said Matsha.
He has called on municipal officials to reconsider their decision and is open to discussions about redirecting funds to build six tennis courts.
Matsha also encouraged current Kouga councillors to read his books: History of S.A. Black Tennis – 1875 until 2022 and Humansdorp’s Ou Lokasie Will Rise Again – In a Different Form, to better understand the area’s history.
“By showing interest, the authorities will help the Kouga community’s children gain a lot, and the academy will help lessen gangsterism, drug addiction, alcoholism, truancy and teenage pregnancy,” said Matsha.
Among the tennis players he coached is Anastacia Simons of Gqeberha, who received a scholarship and completed a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery at Southern Illinois University in the USA in 2010.
He also coached Gqeberha’s Mandy Saptoe, who played as number one for South Africa’s u/18 girls’ tennis team in the 1980s.
When approached for comment, Kouga Municipality indicated that the relevant department is investigating the situation.
