Mandini’s golden girls put school on the board
TWINS Aphiwe and Minenhle Zikalala eat, breathe and sleep chess. The 12-year-olds often become so engrossed in their game that their grandmother worries that they will fall ill from concentrating too much.
With President Jacob Zuma an ardent player, who takes on schoolkids at the annual Jacob Zuma Foundation tournament, more and more youngsters in township schools are making it their game of choice.
The twins and five other pupils at the impoverished Khayalemfundo Primary School in Mandini on the KwaZulu-Natal North Coast, are known as the “golden girls”, after clinching gold at the National Top Schools chess tournament in the under15 category last year.
The win gave struggling Khayalemfundo — with its dilapidated classrooms, dusty sports field and limited water supply — a glimmer of hope.
They may only have taken to the game two years ago, but SAY CHESS: Coach Siyabonga Gumede with his under-15 chess ’golden girls’ and their trophies at Khayalemfundo Primary School in Mandini, KwaZulu-Natal their impressive collection of medals and trophies speaks of their passion for chess.
Now the girls have their sights set on the International Top Schools tournament in London in September. But they may never realise their dream because “there is no money”, said their coach, Siyabonga Gumede.
Minenhle said: “It’s more challenging than any sport we’ve ever played. We cried tears of joy when we won the national tournament last year.”
The twins play chess for four or five hours every day. “On the weekends our grandmother scolds us to stop concentrating so hard because we’re going to become sick,” laughed Aphiwe.
Sandile Xulu, the president of the KwaZulu-Natal Chess Association, who occasionally coaches Zuma, said more than 1 000 children in Nkandla played the game.
“It’s catching on throughout the province. Teachers are beginning to see that kids playing chess become more disciplined and tend to follow instructions better,” said Xulu.
“Zuma himself loves chess, because it is a game of strategy and tactics. I believe chess helps him with his tough decisions.”
Brian Qamata, who coaches primary school pupils in Khayelitsha, Cape Town, said he was seeing a growth in interest.
“Young children are really enjoying every moment of playing the game, and some are becoming formidable players.”
Qamata said it was beneficial for developing children’s maths and science skills.
International master Watu Kobese, who has written a guide to chess in Xhosa, said numerous studies showed chess could be a good aid in education. “Chess does enhance your concentration, imagination and cognitive thinking. So much so that the EU passed a resolution to include chess as part of the [school] curriculum.”