Herschelle’s son: I miss my dad
Herschelle Gibbs’ heartbroken son Rashard believes his famous cricketing dad is more interested in his fans than his family
WHEN he was a boy he’d sit in the cricket stands and watch in awe as his dad blasted the ball around the pitch. With his swashbuckling batting displays Herschelle Gibbs was someone the Proteas could always count on to save the day when his teammates’ wickets started tumbling.
But as he witnessed his father’s heroics Rashard Gibbs couldn’t help wishing Herschelle was as devoted to him as he was to his cricketing career. More than anything he craved his father’s attention and approval – but as the years passed he was forced to accept a bitter truth about his dad.
“He’s a person for his fans, not for his family. He’s very much about Herschelle,” Rashard (21) tells us dispassionately in a coffee shop in Modderfontein, Johannesburg, where we’re interviewing him and his mom, Liesl Fuller (39).
With the sprinkling of light freckles on his nose and the earring in his right ear, he’s a carbon copy of his dad.
“He’s always been my role model,” Rashard says. “He was always someone I looked up to, up until Grade 10 when I was 15 or 16 years old. Then I realised I was more influenced by the lifestyle he had, rather than the person he is.”
What stands out for Rashard from the past few years is all the birthdays, Christmases and special moments his father has missed.
“I was always the one left picking up the pieces if Herschelle dropped him,” Liesl says. “In interviews I always protected him – pretending he’s a good father. No more.”
By the time of going to print Herschelle (43) hadn’t responded to allegations he’s an absent father. These days he plays for
Pinelands Cricket Club in Cape Town.
Rashard has also been blessed with cricketing talent but he says you won’t find his dad among the spectators when he plays. “He was never there,” Liesl says. “He’s never been a father to Rashard.”
LIESL and Herschelle first met in 1992 when she was just 13 years old. He was a promising young cricketer and had been playing in the Western Cape provincial schools league in Stellenbosch. Four years later, in her matric year, Liesl fell pregnant with Rashard. “He convinced himself I’d tried to entrap him when I fell pregnant. That wasn’t the case. I was young and naïve. I was just a child.
“He made his debut for SA against India on the day that Rashard was born.”
She says Herschelle initially wanted nothing to do with Rashard. He paid maintenance – but it was half the amount stipulated in their original contract and over 14 years it never increased, Liesl claims.
She says after Rashard’s birth she repeatedly begged Herschelle to meet his son but he steadfastly refused. “After about three years I gave up. It was exhausting.”
When Rashard was four Herschelle finally had a change of heart. In 2001, a year after spending time in a rehabilitation facility for drug and alcohol abuse, he decided to meet his son for the first time.
Rashard remembers the day well. “It was on my birthday. He took me to the shopping mall and bought me a small battery-driven quad bike and a CD.”
After that, whenever he played a big match Herschelle would always make a point of leaving tickets for his son at the stadium entrance.
“I was at most of his games. I rarely missed a game at Wanderers or SuperSport Park. He’d take me to the changing room after the match or we’d go and grab something to eat,” Rashard says.
It was up to Liesl to organise everything. “If we didn’t take him to the games, he’d have never seen his dad,” she says.
But in recent years Herschelle and Rashard have hardly seen each other.
“Herschelle is quick to post a pic on Instagram when he’s seen Rashard, but people don’t realise that’s it’s only once a year – if he’s lucky.”
She says Herschelle often won’t bother getting in touch with his son when he visits Joburg. “My biggest worry at this stage is my child’s wellbeing,” Liesl says. “I’ve never seen him as emotional as he is now. His dad’s absence is starting to get to him.”
Rashard was hurt and disappointed when Herschelle failed to show up for his 21st birthday celebration late last year.
“This is [the] biggest birthday but he couldn’t even bother to come. He hasn’t given me a present yet.”
As soon as Rashard turned 21 Herschelle stopped giving him money to cover the rent for his flat in Alberton on Joburg’s East Rand. “He told me I’m a man now. It’s not his problem.”
It was a bitter blow. Last year Liesl was retrenched from her position as a sales manager and she’s now struggling to find a job. “I can’t help my child financially – I’m unemployed. But Herschelle can’t put himself in our shoes.”
Like his father, Rashard is a talented sportsman. At school he played cricket and rugby. He was selected for the Cheetahs under-19 squad as well as the under-21 Curry Cup.
His rugby talent won him a bursary at North-West University in Potchefstroom, where he studied sports science. While he was a student Herschelle paid the difference between the bursary and the university fees. But Rashard didn’t perform academically and quit his studies.
He now coaches cricket at his former primary school, King Edward Preparatory, but can’t afford to pay his rent and will be moving back in with his mom in Modderfontein.
But he says money isn’t his main issue with his father. “If I didn’t send him a message or phone him I’d never hear from him. He’d always have excuses if I wanted to talk to him or if I wanted to visit him in Cape Town.”
Liesl says if Rashard wanted to visit his dad, Herschelle would insist she pay for the plane ticket. “Surely that’s not how it’s supposed to be,” she says.
Rashard has decided to focus on his cricket again and now plays in the premier league for the Witwatersrand team. He plans to move to England around the middle of the year to play club cricket there.
“I had to organise all of that too and make contact with a friend in England who could help him,” Liesl says.
“Herschelle was livid. He told me I don’t know what I’m doing in the world of sport. But he doesn’t lift a finger to help us.”
Rashard says he wishes his dad was more like his former teammate Makhaya Ntini. He tells us how Makhaya, who until recently was the Zimbabwe national cricket team’s bowling coach, flew his entire family to Zim in December for a visit.
“He also came all the way from Zim to see his son Thando play in Potchefstroom,” Rashard says.
“I just want my dad to be there for me and make time to see me.”
‘He doesn’t lift a finger to help us’