Oswin Appollis: Bafana Bafana Star Explains How He Escaped Cape Flats Gangsterism

Oswin Appollis has shared the pivotal moments in his football journey, revealing how close he came to falling into a life of crime.

Raised in Bishop Lavis on the Cape Flats, Appollis grew up in a neighbourhood where gangsterism was rampant, and drugs and violence were part of everyday life. He found himself at a critical juncture, balancing the chance to make a name for himself on the football field against the very real threat of being consumed by the destructive environment around him.

Appollis admits that his father was involved in gang activity, and there were fears that he could follow the same dangerous path.

He began his career in the youth system of Ajax Cape Town before earning a significant opportunity to move to Gauteng and join SuperSport United’s development squad.

However, after breaking into the Matsatsantsa first team, Appollis eventually walked away from SuperSport, admitting that poor decisions played a role in his departure.

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“SuperSport United offered me a contract, and I showed it to my mother. She said, ‘I know you’re young, but this opportunity can help the whole family. You have to take it,’” Appollis recounted on BucsCamp: Brotherhood.

“Moving to SuperSport at such a young age was eye-opening. Initially, I stayed at the club’s residence, but after a year and a half, I wanted my freedom and started living with two friends instead.

“There were nights out, meeting girls, and I even flew my friends from Cape Town to Joburg. I was only 17 or 18, and I made reckless decisions with money. Eventually, I left SuperSport without notice. When I got home, my family said, ‘We told you you’d learn the hard way.’”

Avoiding the Pull of Crime

During the six months he spent at home without a club, Appollis faced the very real risk of being drawn into gangsterism.

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“I wasn’t playing football, and my mum told me, ‘Go through your contacts and reach out to any coach you can find. You need to get back on the field, because staying here will only lead you down a dangerous path,’” he said.

“Honestly, I was probably sixty per cent likely to make the wrong choices because of what I grew up around. It was tough—my father’s life was a cautionary tale, and people expected me to follow in his footsteps. But my mother always believed I wouldn’t become him.”

This challenging period was followed by a move to the University of Pretoria, which led him to stints at Pretoria Callies and Polokwane City. From there, he earned a spot in Bafana Bafana and eventually signed for Orlando Pirates.

At just 24, Appollis played in the 2023 AFCON finals and has continued representing South Africa in recent continental competitions.

Source: Briefly News