USam Draai

UDraai wayeyilungu le-Sparks Estate Community Centre selokhu lasungulwa ngo-1958. Waziwa kakhulu ngokusungula i-Durban Boys Brigade ngama-1930s, esebenza ngendlela efanayo ne-Scouts, ukuhlinzeka ngemisebenzi yokwalulekwa nemisebenzi yobuciko kubafana abancane emphakathini. Le nhlangano yezenhlalo ihlinzeka ngokwaluleka nemisebenzi yobuciko namkhono kubafana abancane emphakathini.

Intshisekelo yakhe yokuthuthuka kwentsha yayiphikisana nothando lwakhe lwe-Comrades Marathon kuphela. Ngo-1964 wagijima i-Comrades Marathon okokuqala ngqa – yize kwakungekho emthethweni njengoba abagijimi ababengebona abamhlophe babengavunyelwe ukubamba iqhaza – waba umgijimi wesibili ongeyena omhlophe ukuqeda umjaho. Ngo-1996 uSam wacela ukuthi amukelwe ama-run akhe angekho emthethweni phakathi kuka-64 no-1975, nokuthi anikezwe ‘inombolo yakhe eluhlaza’ ngezindondo zakhe eziyisishiyagalombili zesiliva nezisishiyagalombili zethusi. Ngaphezu kokuba umgijimi uSam futhi wasebenza njengevolontiya le-Comrades ngokusemthethweni.

USam Draai wahlonishwa ngumphakathi ngezenzo ezingenakubalwa ngokuzinikela azikhombisile emashumini eminyaka adlule. Uphinde wahlonishwa engqungqutheleni ye-Provincial Community Conference eyayihlelwe nguNdunankulu uZweli Mkhize wanikezwa i-Stalwarts of KwaZulu-Natal.

U-Draai wayehlala e-Sydenham wedlula emhlabeni ngeSonto mhla zingi-31 Meyi, ngosuku lwe-Comrades Marathon ngo-2015. Wayengumkhulu oziqhenyayo wabazukulu abayisishiyagalombili nokhokho kwabanye abayisishiyagalombili. Ngesikhathi seminyaka engu-91 yobudala, wahola iqembu le-Durban Boys Brigade lethusi emigwaqweni yase-Sydenham.