Recipients • Players Fund

Meet Our Recipients

Heinrich Erasmus

On Thursday 1st February 2023 during a normal skills training session in Oudtshoorn, Heinrich Erasmus was injured by compensating his neck on a tackle bag and placing his head first. This unfortunately caused him to break his neck. His injury

MJ Van Staden

MJ was injured during a head-on tackle while playing for his school against Hoërskool Monument. His head was positioned on the wrong side of the tackled player, resulting in a C4/C5 spinal cord injury. He received immediate medical attention and

Simanga Mandita

Injured: 2 February 2023 while playing for Young Brothers, Debe Nek, Perksdale Mission, Middledrift in the Eastern Cape. While playing flank he sustained an irreparable C5/C6 spinal cord injury as we only received notification of his injury in May which

ANZIL WILLIAMS

Injured in September 2023 (age 17) while playing for Humansdorp Secondary at a tournament in Knysna. Anzil is from Humansdorp and goes to school at Humansdorp Secondary School. He sustained a C5/C6 injury to his spine and is currently doing

Dave Alston

Injured: 16 July 1977 at age 17, whilst playing for Rondebosch Boys High School. As you can see from Dave’s injury date, this was three years before the formation of the Players’ Fund. He was subsequently “discovered” by us quite

Dano Swart

Injured: 7 May 2019 at age 18, whilst taking part in the Craven Week U18 trials in Port Elizabeth. At the time he was in G12 at Hoërskool Brandwag in Uitenhage. He spent many weeks in hospital battling medical complications,

Koben Hofmeyr

Injured 16th May 2018 at age 15 whilst captaining the U16 Hoërskool Louis Trichart side. He led his team out onto the field against Hoërskool Warmbad in Bela-Bela, Limpopo Province, but after a ferocious tackle that ended badly, he was

Gershwin Fortune

Injured: 10 March 2018 at age 25, whilst playing for Goodwood Rugby Club in a friendly in Greyton, Western Cape. A big tackle caused him to break his leg badly which also damaged the main artery behind his knee, resulting

Able Maqashala

Injured: 6 January 2018 at age 16, whilst playing for Selbourne College in the Eastern Cape. He sustained a traumatic brain injury which meant he could not return to school after the injury. He currently lives with this Mother and

Richard Holmes

Injured: 14 September 1968 at the age of 20 whilst playing rugby at the Colesburg Showgrounds. Richard is a qualified Psychologist and practices between Port Elizabeth and Kynsna. The Players’ Fund was only made aware of Richard’s injury in 2017

Jacques Hector

Injured: 26 August 2017 while playing for Cedarberg Akademia High School. Following a three month rehabilitation at the Western Cape Rehabilitation Centre Jacques enrolled in the Jan Kriel School in Kuilsrivier in Cape Town where he completed his Matric in

Furlo Theron

Injured: 2 July 2016 at the age of 30 while playing for Abbotsdale Rugby club at a match in St Helena Bay in the Western Cape. Furlo currently lives with his family in Abbotsdale and is an avid Sharks supporter.

Jzaun Dreyer

Injured : 15 March 2006 at the age of 17 while playing for Hoerskool President in Krugersdorp. He is married and works for Outsurance as a financial advisor.

Kalib Missoe

Injured : 29 April 2015 at the age of 16. Kalib was playing for HTS Belville when he sustained a head injury. Since writing Matric in 2019, he has embarked on improving his results in three subjects and then plans

Arthur Cullinan

Injured: 5 March 2013 aged 22 when playing “koshuis” rugby whilst in his 4th year of Veterinary Science at Onderstepoort. He now lives with his family in Vryburg in the North West Province. Following his injury, he was forced to

Lulu Mbambo

Injured: 27 May 2014, aged 18, while playing for Adelaid Gymnasium. He currently lives in PE.

Miguel Moco

Injured: 2 May 2015, aged 13, while playing for Northcliff High School. He lives in with his Mum and brother in Johannesburg. He loves gaming and goes to physio, speech therapy and OT on a regular basis.

Sibusiso Tyala

Injured: 5 May 2013, aged 25, while playing for Home Boys from Berlin. He lives in Berlin in the Eastern Cape.

Heinrich “Ollie” Terblanche

Injured: 24 January 2015, aged 20, while playing for South West Districts. He currently lives George with his wife Chanel whom he married in 2017. “I am Heinrich Terblanche, better known as Ollie. I’ve played provincial rugby in South Africa and

Ryan Reaper

Injured: 22 May 2015, aged 21, while playing for Villagers – Shabeen Boys. He lives in Llandudno in the Western Cape.

Gerald Hess

Injured: 30 May 2015, aged 40, while playing for Oudtshoorn Correctional Services. He lives in Oudtshoorn in the Western Cape.

Dyllan Beneckhe

Injured August 2014 My name is Dyllan Beneckhe and I am a quadriplegic, I got injured playing for Tuks youth rugby club on the 30th of August 2014 where my neck collided with the opposing players knee in a tackle.

Dylan Youens

Injured: 27 April 1996, aged 17, while playing for Hilton College. Dylan lives with his wife and daughter in Germiston in Gauteng and works in Data Science as an IT architect for Nedbank.

Alvairo Williams

Injured: 24 July 1999, aged 16, while playing for Schoonspruit Rugby Club. He lives in Malmesbury in the Western Cape and works as an admin clerk for the Malmesbury Stock Theft Unit, SAPS.

Justin Ware

Injured: 27 May 2000, aged 17, while playing for Lowveld High School in Nelspruit. Justin currently lives on a quail farm in Nelspruit with his wife and is an avid fisherman when he gets the opportunity.

De Wet Venter

Injured: 23 March 2002, aged 24, while playing for Pietersburg Rugby Club. De Wet lives in Polokwane in the Limpopo Province and has a fully kitted home gym in which he works out daily to improve his strength.

Quintin van Jaarsveld

Injured: 15 April 2000, aged 16, while playing for Suid Natal High School. Quintin lives at his family home in Shelley Beach, KZN and works as a sports editor. “I broke my neck (C5 vertebra) at the age of 16

Gerhard van der Wath

Injured: 16 April 2011, while playing for Augsburg Agricultural Gymnasium. He was 16 at the time and in grade 11. Following the accident his school, family and close knit farming community rallied around him providing support and encouragement and before long

Siphiwo Tsotsa

Injured: 7 July 1996, at age 33, while playing for the Crusaders Rugby Football Club. Siphiwo walks with assistive devices and lives in Richmond in the Northern Cape with his family and works as a teacher.

Gerhard Swarts

Injured: 15 March 2003 at age 14, whilst playing for his school team Hoërskool Kanonkop in Middelburg, Mpumalanga. After a lengthy period of rehabilitation, he returned to school and matriculated in 2006. Post school he received a Honours degree in

Antony Stearns

Injured: 20 April 1996, at age 24, while playing for Wanderers Rugby Club. Anthony has a diploma in marketing and works as a strategist for Saatchi and Saatchi in Dubai.

Siyabulela Sodlala

Injured: 7 April 2007, aged 23, while playing for Winter Rose Rugby Club. Siyabulela lives at his family home in Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape.

Erich Small

Injured: 9 June 1996, at age 16, while playing for Afrikaans Hoërskool. Erich lives in Val de Vie in Cape Town, is married to Elzanne and runs his own business as a Digital Director for an online booking platform

Delvian Samuels

Injured: 16 June 1999, at age 18, while playing for the Apostolic Church in Ravensmead. After successfully completing several leaderships became permanently employed with the Sanlam Trust Beneficiary Fund and Umbrella Trust Department where he works as a Trust Administrator.

Aubrey Saal

Injured: 8 August 2010, at age 23, while playing for Desert Daisies Rugby Club. Aubrey lives with his aunt in Concordia, Springbok in the Northern Cape. In 2019 Aubrey successfully passed an NQF level 4 Management Training Course with DYNA-Training

Yusuf Price

Injured: 19 September 2001, while playing for Primrose Rugby Club. Yusuf is fortunate enough not to be in a wheelchair and although he walks with a degree of difficulty he is a qualified biokineticist and works at SSISA (Sports Science

Charles Oppelt

Injured: 23 March 2002, at the age of 17, while playing for the Mamre Rugby Club. Charles married the love of his life Amber on the 21st November 2023 and they live in Parklands. He is actively involved in the

Elroy Ohlson

Injured: 28 August 1999, aged 21, while playing for South Western District. Elroy lives at his family home in Grootbrakrivier on the Garden Route.

Alwyn Nel

Injured: 22 July 2006, at age 17, while playing rugby at the Louis Botha Technical College. Alwyn lives with his family in Fauna in Bloemfontein in the Fee State. He is busy studying law at the University of the Free

Amos Mzimela

Injured: 20 May 1990 at age 18. Amos lives in Soto Village near HagaHaga East London in the Eastern Cape with his wife and 3 children. He runs his own business from home and has established a community centre for

Mawethu Mtutu

Injured: 9 April 1989, aged 21. He lives in East London in the Eastern Cape and works as a salesman. Mawethu walks with an assistive device.

Dan Mkele

Injured: 25 March 1996, at the age of 30, while playing for Storm Breakers Rugby team. Dan lives at the Summerstrand Cheshire Home in Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape. He is excellent at mouth painting and sells his works

Mphuthumezi Maswana

Injured: 2 April 2006 while playing for the Western Rangers Rugby Club in Rustenburg. He now lives in Peddie in the Eastern Cape.

Vuyo Mashologu

Injured: 2 July 2006, at age 20. Vuyo now lives at the Cheshire Home in Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape. Together with Sikhosonke Mani, he is studying Business Management at Dower College.

Sikhosonke Mani

Injured: 4 April 2009, at age 21. He lives with 2 of our other recipients at the Cleary Park Cheshire Home in Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape. Together with Vuyo the two of these guys have grown from strength

Zingisa Magalela

Injured: 13 May 1995, at age 22, playing rugby at Gasela High School. He lives in King Williams Town in the Eastern Cape and is a business entrepreneur.

JP Lugt

Injured: 28 April 1992, at the age of 20, playing koshuis rugby at Stellenbosch University. JP runs his own successful business, The Olive Grove and is married with 3 children. He lives in Pinelands in Cape Town.

Jannie Louw

Injured: 23 August 1996 at age 21 during a koshuis rugby match for the University of Pretoria. Jannie lives in Pretoria and works as an accountant.

Chris Labuschagne

Injured: 14 April 1988, aged 15, while playing for Postmasburg High School. Chris is married and lives with his wife in Milnerton in the Western Cape. He works in IT systems at the Old Mutual offices in Pinelands.

Adriaan Kruger

Injured: 27 September 1990 at age 18, playing a touch rugby match during his matric year. Adriaan lives in Phalaborwa in Limpopo Province. For the past 8 years, Adriaan has been working for a mining company called Foskor as a

Rikus Kemp

Injured: 20 April 2005, aged 19. Rikus lives in Brakpan in Gauteng and is studying to be a pastor.

Anthony Kasirivu

Injured: 27 July 2008 at 21 years of age, playing Koshuis rugby at the University of Johannesburg. He lives in Mafikeng in NWP and is a music producer in his spare time.

Bryan Jones

Injured: 2 August 1986 at age 25, playing a match for Crusaders Rugby Club. He lives with his wife in the family home in Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape.

Zamile Jack

Injured: 9 March 1986, at age 34 when playing rugby in Adelaide. Zamile walks with the aid of a crutch and lives in Adelaide in the Eastern Cape.

Rowan Hermanus

Injured: 4 August 2012, at age 15, playing for Hoërskool Swartland in Malmesbury. Following 4 months of rehabilitation at the Western Cape Rehab Centre, he returned to school to commence Grade 10 and his plan is to finish his last

Heinick Hearne

Injured: 13 August 2000, aged 21, while playing for Winter Rose Rugby Club. He lives in Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape with his mom and brother.

William Hendricks

Injured: 9 April 1994, at age 22, playing for the Eagles United Rugby Club. William currently lives in Ida’s Valley in the Western Cape, just outside Stellenbosch.

Christiaan Filand

Injured: 21 July 2007, aged 19, playing for the Hungry Lions Rugby Club in Wellington. He lives at the Eric Miles Cheshire Home in Milnerton, Cape Town.

Isaac “IB” Foster

Injured: 6 May 2006, aged 17, while playing rugby for Lichtenberg Hoërskool in Lichtenberg, NWP. He graduated with a BA degree in 2012and plans to study for an honours degree. When not at university in Pretoria, he lives on his

Emil Engelbrecht

Injured: 20 April 1996, aged 24, while playing for Lowville Rugby Club. Emil walks with the aid of crutches. He lives in Vredenburg on the West Coast of the Western Cape and works for Transnet at the Saldanha Steelworks as

Anton Engelbrecht

Injured: 18 August 1989, aged 22, while playing Tukkies Koshuis Rugby. Anton is not only a recipient but also a trustee of the Fund. He works for Alexander Forbes Health Consulting in Cape Town and travels extensively throughout SA for

George Dwashu

Injured: 13 September 1989, aged 22, playing in the Saldanha Rugby League. George is able to walk with assistive devices. He still lives in Saldanha in the Western Cape with his wife and children.

Roselt du Plessis

Injured: 1 September 2007 at age 20 playing for Ceres Rugby Club. Roselt lives on his family farm in Ceres where he carries out all the administrative duties.

Willie de Klerk

Injured: 31 July 1992, aged 19, while playing for the University of the Free State. He graduated with a BA in Theology and now works on his father’s farm in Danielskuil, Northern Cape.

Hannes de Jager

Injured: 14 March 1997, aged 25, playing for the Defence Force in Bloemfontein. He lives and works in Bloemfontein and is a captain in the SANDF.

Renzo Cordano

Injured: 28 June 1986, aged 23, playing for Glenwood Old Boys Rugby Club in Durban. He works as a systems programmer for an IT consultancy firm in Durban.

Simon Cloete

Injured: 20 April 1989, aged 16, playing for Concordia Secondary School near Springbok. Simon works as a Vodacom Network controller and lives in Ravensmead, Cape Town.

Siphiwo Ceshemba

Injured: 17 August 1988, playing in a social match. He lives with his family in Cathcart, Eastern Cape.

Lodewikus “Vaatjie” Bruwer

Injured: 20 May 1999, at age 15, playing for Hoërskool Noordkaap in Kimberley. He is currently pursuing his dream of becoming a DJ.

Martin Brink

Injured: 16 April 2002, aged 18, playing for Punt Hoërskool in Mosselbaai. Since completing his matric, Martin has graduated with 3 degrees having studied through UNISA. He is about to embark on his working career.

Jan Booysen

Injury: 23 April 1983, aged 23, playing in a club fixture for Excelsior Rugby Club in Middleburg. He lives in Steynsburg in the Eastern Cape. “After my injury, my team mates lifted me up, put me on a roof sheet to

Wentzel Barnard

Injured: 18 August 1984, aged 15 while playing for his school Paul Roos Gymnasium in Stellenbosch. Wentzel is currently the Sports Manager at Maties, managing ParaSport as well as the clubs for persons with disabilities which include student and non-student