In the streets of Nyanga, a township in Cape Town, South Africa, grew a trio of friends who lived in the same street. There was no age difference amongst these peers as they were in the same grade but divided by schools. Thabo and Sive went to the school in the township while Athi attended a skills school.

Nothing could separate these young lads as they were always together and played for the same team. They played for Thembu Royals under coach Tyopho, a community leader who believed he could save the world with soccer.

Tyopho had a routine for all his players: it started with players completing their homework and a training session. Tyopho also had study sessions with them after the game on Saturday; he had a slogan of “Books and Balls are Better for Boys”. Every player of his lived by this slogan and that made Tyopho a hero in the eyes of the community of Nyanga. Nyanga was a crime-infested area but he made sure no sporting equipment was stolen from the Nyanga sports grounds. He curbed corruption and prevented any sorts of wrong deeds from happening at the sports grounds.

As the boys grew up, Tyopho had challenges in disciplining his team as they were slowly turning into teenagers and gangsterism was now rife in the streets of Nyanga. As he was struggling to keep his players in order, as much as this extraordinary noble citizen wanted to rescue these boys from aligning themselves with gangs, he could not afford to be in the city. Tyopho left along with his flock of sheep, leaving behind his children, players and the community he loved dearly.

After Tyopho’s departure everything started to fall apart. There was nobody responsible for the kits anymore. Gangsterism escalated and tore Thembu Royals apart, there was no longer Thembu Royals any more as its players were on either side of gangs fighting against each other.

Newly in high school, these boys were introduced to a whole new world. Nyanga’s areas were divided as gang leaders were claiming territory. Unfortunately for Lwazi and Thabo, the only high school in Nyanga was Nelson Mandela High that was situated in Gaza turf and they were living in Vandal territory. Some of the Vandals dropped out of school because it placed their lives at risk. As soon as it was home time, the Gaza gang would corner everyone from the Vandal area and take their belongings or assault them.

It was on a particular day where Sive had taken enough abuse from the Gaza gang and decided that his safety was in his own hands. On that day he carried two machetes to school, one was for himself and one was for Thabo. “I can’t live my life being scared of gangsters, here take this, today we slaughter anyone who gets in our way of going home.” Thabo chickened out but could see the amount of anger Sive had by just looking at his eyes. School came out and as usual the Gazas were at the gate waiting to pick out victims. Kane, the most feared Gaza, went straight for Sive.

Unfortunately for him, Sive was prepared and attacked him first. When the other gangsters tried to react they were too late as Kane was butchered while Sive ran for his life. The following day the Gazas were nowhere to be found and talk of the school was of Sive, the new hero. The Vandals now paid him respect and even called him Mavester as they treated him as one of their own now.

On the other hand, the Gazas were plotting revenge while Kane was fighting for his life in hospital. School was now better as everyone befriended Sive, his life changed so suddenly. Sive had a reputation that placed his life in danger but he didn’t know it at that time. Word on the streets came out: Kane had died. It was only a matter of time before the police or Gazas got to Sive. The Gazas were out for blood and wanted Sive’s life. He knew how much trouble he was in so he never went to school.

None of the Vandals could go to school because they all knew the consequences of what Sive had done. Thabo continued to go to school regardless of how things were on the Gaza turf. Thabo pleaded with his father to allow him to drop out of school but he forced him to go. “Thabo, you said you’re not a gangster so it’s either you’re gonna go to school or move out of my house to live with your gangster friends,” said Thabo’s father, and that was the last time they spoke about it.

It was on a rainy day when, instead of jumping the fence at the back to go home, Thabo decided to go out by the gate hoping not to bump into the Gazas since it was raining. They saw him and ambushed him as he was running home. They only realised when he was in a pool of blood that he wasn’t Sive. On the same day, as Sive had just heard the news of how his friend had been brutally murdered, cops came to his house to arrested him for the murder of Kane.

Athi was now left alone and his parents decided to send him away from what was happening in Nyanga. He was moved to his aunt’s house, which was far away from Nyanga. Nothing went better as Thabo’s parents separated and divorced. His mother believed that Thabo would’ve been alive if his father hadn’t forced him to school, she blamed her husband for killing her son.

Sive was still a minor so the law could not sentence him for the murder of Kane. Instead of learning his lesson, Sive was out for vengeance on the Gaza gang for killing Thabo. Athi was also keen on getting vengeance so he opted to lend Sive his father’s guns. Athi stole his father’s guns and took the keys of his father’s Jeep. One by one they went to the Gazas’ homes. They got to the first house and shot the first gangster in front of his parents, they got to the second and did the same thing. As they had just shot the fifth gangster they saw the police and decided to open fire. They shot and killed one officer but one of them did not live to tell story.

Athi was shot dead and Sive surrendered as he was shot in the arm. That didn’t help him as he now faced seven charges of murder and a charge of being found with an unlicensed firearm. A childhood friendship ended merely because of the decisions young boys took in the township. In a blink of an eye, young boys lost their lives to gangsterism, also taking with them Tyopho, who just couldn’t bear the news of what had happened in his community and club.

Tell us: What do you think about the way life ended for the three boys?