Thursday, 22 October 2026

Prof Pilani Nongogo's new 376-page book examines the history of Black rugby in South Africa, centring players and communities left out of mainstream sporting narratives.

Swallows Rugby Football Club, formed in East London in 1911, was described as the city's oldest core Black rugby club, and grew out of migrants organising for community support.

Community members objected when a burial ground in East London was earmarked for a rugby pitch for Coloured players, arguing no one should play over their ancestors' bones, so the graves remain.

Mapula advised that before leaving a job or starting a business, people should calculate their living costs and build an exit plan, treating it as a bridge to cross rather than a leap.

The book is available from Book Circle Capital in Melville, Johannesburg, and online, according to Nongogo.