Meet the Founder

A smiling man with dreadlocks wearing a white sports jacket in an indoor setting.

Athenkosi Mayinje

Athi Mayinje is a World Rugby Level 2 coach and the founder of Love Sport Africa, a nonprofit using rugby to drive youth empowerment and social change in under-resourced communities. He leads innovative programmes that combine sport, education and gender-based violence prevention.

His work has earned him recognition as one of News24’s Future 30 Mandela’s, and a Mail & Guardian 200 Young South Africans honouree. Through Love Sport Africa, Athi has enabled dozens of girls to represent Eastern Province and South Africa, earn university bursaries, and access menstrual health and self-defence resources.

“The empowerment of our players is aimed at making them self-sustaining and financially independent in the long run through sporting opportunities and education. This reduces their susceptibility to social ills such as GBVF.”
— Athi Mayinje
Meet the Coaches: (from left to right, Siyabulela Landela, Athi Mayine, Phumeza Gadu and Mziyanda Sobhuza

Love Sport Africa Coaches (from left to right): Siyabulela Landela, Athi Mayine, Phumeza Gadu and Mziyanda Sobhuza

Our Board

  • A man smiling outdoors wearing sunglasses, a green blazer, a white shirt, and a green and yellow striped tie, with a field, cars, and a blue sky in the background.

    Mziwoxolo Mpofu

    General Manager of Eastern Province Rugby Union

  • A young woman smiling and holding a field hockey stick on a field.

    Ongeziwe Mali

    National Hockey Player and Olympian

  • A professional man in a suit sitting at a dark wooden conference table, smiling, with a large houseplant and window blinds in the background.

    Yamkela Ntola

    Admitted Advocate of the High Court of South Africa

  • Portrait of a man in a dark blue suit and white shirt, standing against a peachy background.

    Buntu Odolo

    Admitted Attorney of the High Court of South Africa