We want to be the Jacques Kallis out there - Temba Bavuma Foundation building a legacy off the cricket pitch
Temba Bavuma, World Test Championship-winning captain, is making a significant impact off the cricket field through his Temba Bavuma Foundation, which supports previously disadvantaged individuals through education, sports, and corporate social investment, recently achieving a landmark upgrade at the Frida Hartley Shelter for Women and Children. Seen here: Temba Bavuma (2nd from R) looks on during an event at the Frida Hartley Shelter for Women and Children. Picture: Michael Sherman/IOL
Image: Michael Sherman/IOL
As a World Test Championship-winning captain, Temba Bavuma could actually claim to be doing as much for his country outside of a cricket field through his foundation.
The Temba Bavuma Foundation (TBF), which started in 2016, aims to help previously disadvantaged individuals make their way in the world.
Over the weekend, Bavuma was in attendance at the Frida Hartley Shelter for Women and Children in Yeoville, as the facility had completed upgrades which included indoor renovations and outside visitor bathrooms thanks to the support of the TBF.
Bavuma spoke with as much pride as he normally does after a Proteas win, explaining his foundation’s partnership with the Frida Hartley Shelter.
Temba Bavuma Foundation’s Landmark Achievement at Frida Hartley Shelter
“Yeah, it’s quite a landmark achievement for the Temba Bavuma Foundation. So we’re here today at the Frida Hartley Shelter. It’s a shelter for destitute women and children. The shelter is one of our beneficiary houses as the foundation and over the years,” Bavuma told IOL in an exclusive interview.
“As a foundation, we see ourselves as a proper all-rounder where we are Jacques Kallis out there.”
It’s been a partnership stretching back five years, Bavuma revealed.
“Since Covid [2020] we’ve done a lot of work with them. Mainly food drives, clothing drives, all those types of initiatives.
“Today we are launching the newly built toilets. So it’s outside toilets, there’s a male and female toilets as well as for disabled individuals and we renovated the inside of the shelter.
“So I think yeah I think it’s brought a lot of pride to the occupants of the shelter and for us as a foundation you know it just speaks to our theme of sustainability.”
Bavuma’s Foundation: Empowering Future Generations Through Education, Sports, and Corporate Social Investment
Long after Bavuma hangs up his cricket spikes, his foundation will still be building a legacy for future generations.
“Whichever community that we come into we want to make sure that we leave a proper mark behind. So that’s why we’re here today as a foundation. Quite a big day for us.
“The foundation has three pillars: its education, sports, and CSI [Corporate Social Investment]. We founded it in 2016, so it’s almost ten years now.
“In essence, it was the holistic empowerment of talented individuals or individuals who come from your impoverished or previously disadvantaged areas through the avenues of sport, education.”
Bavuma’s Journey from Eastern Cape Talent to Corporate Success
Bavuma, who hails from the Eastern Cape, was identified early in his schooling career as serious cricketing talent, as he earned a bursary to the prestigious St. David’s in Johannesburg.
“Basically, I was just trying to systemise my development as a guy who grew up in the township.
“From there, I got bursaries to go to your traditional schools, and I know the benefit that comes with being in a system like a SACS college in the St. David’s College, not just from a cricketing point of view but from a general ethos point of view.
“So we'd identify talented cricketers and we put them into our so-called partner schools, and we'd walk that whole journey with those individuals from high school to tertiary. Even after tertiary, we’re also getting them into the corporate world.”