MEN CHAMPIONING CHANGE IN ACTION

By Lerato Khateane

• Jimmy Moiloa, a probation officer in Mangaung, Free State, has dedicated his career to steering youth away from crime and promoting positive engagement through sports.
• Recognizing the lack of recreational outlets for young people in his community, Moiloa founded the “Sports Against Crime” initiative, which now involves soccer and netball tournaments for local schools.
• With support from community stakeholders, Moiloa envisions the program growing to a provincial level, providing young people with a constructive path and inspiring greater parental and community involvement.

Mr. Jimmy Moiloa (52), born and raised in Rocklands, Bloemfontein, is the youngest of five children. Growing up in a close-knit family, he attended Mothusi Primary School before moving to QwaQwa for his high school years at New Horizon College. Later, he began a BCom degree at Vista University in Bloemfontein but had to pause his studies due to financial challenges.

Jimmy joined the Department of Social Development on November 1, 2003, initially working as an Assistant Probation Officer in Jaggersfontein, serving eight towns. Determined to grow his skills, he took out an educational loan in 2005 to study Child and Youth Care through the University of South Africa. In 2008, he moved to Mangaung Metro’s Probation Services at the One Stop Child Justice Centre, where he worked for over a decade, supporting towns across the Free State, including Botshabelo, Thaba Nchu, and Ladybrand. Since 2020, Jimmy has focused on the greater Mangaung area and now works at the Winkie Direko Child Justice Centre, helping young people in conflict with the law.

As an Assistant Probation Officer, Jimmy’s work is hands-on. His daily tasks include monitoring children’s behavior through home-based supervision, cell checks, and aftercare. He also organizes crime prevention programs in schools and communities, teaching parenting skills to families and promoting positive youth activities.

Jimmy is trained in counseling, restorative justice, and the “Ke Moja” drug prevention program. He engages with parents on the importance of involvement in their children’s lives, emphasizing support for youth participation in sports and helping them avoid crime. To support this goal, he also helps establish crime prevention clubs in schools.

With a passion for sports, especially soccer, Jimmy noticed that many young people in his community lacked positive outlets. Without engaging activities, some children fell into crime, gangsterism, and substance abuse. Inspired to create change, he launched the Sports Against Crime initiative in 2023, in collaboration with his supervisor, Mr. Teboho Rananai. The program, which started with a soccer tournament, aims to involve all Mangaung schools in an annual initiative. Schools, local businesses, and community leaders, including Ward 14 Councillor Lebogang Winston Lekgetho, have supported the initiative by providing refreshments and resources.

The first tournament in 2023 brought together four Bloemfontein schools: Mabolela, Tebelelo, Polokehong, and Botlehadi Intermediate. Seeing its success, Jimmy recognized the need to include girls and, in 2024, introduced a netball tournament, which received even more enthusiasm.

Several stakeholders, including the South African Police Service, Correctional Services, the Department of Education, and local businesses like Shoprite, Twizza, and MTN, have helped make the tournaments a success. The provincial Department of Social Development’s Communication Section assists with marketing, and Tshireletsong Place of Safety provides transport.

Looking ahead, Jimmy hopes to see the Sports Against Crime tournament grow into a provincial and even national initiative, bringing schools from across the country together. His future plans include launching a girls’ soccer tournament and encouraging more parental involvement to support their children’s growth. He also aims to work closely with the Department of Arts and Culture and sports organizations to identify young talent and provide pathways for their development.