Milani Bekapi: A journey from Langa to SA Schools selection
When the Western Province squads for the 2025 SASHOC National Week were announced earlier this year, Milani Bekapi had mixed feelings.
The boy from Langa Township in Cape Town was disappointed because he hadn’t made the cut for the u18A team. He was, instead, selected for the u18B side for a second year running.
After representing the Western Province u18B team in 2024, he had set himself a goal of making the extraordinary u18A side in 2025.
That didn’t happen, but there was a silver lining. Instead of sulking, Bekapi relished the chance of donning his provincial colours again and immediately got down to work with his u18B teammates.
The Province B side, better known as Peninsula or Pens, arrived in Pietermaritzburg for the SASHOC National Week determined to make waves in Pool B.
Job done! They finished top of their pool, which secured them a semi-final showdown with Southern Gauteng A.
The boys from Johannesburg won that clash 3-1 and Northern Gauteng A then edged out Pens 2-1 in the bronze medal match.
Nonetheless, finishing fourth was a major achievement for the Western Province B side, and they were rewarded for that outstanding showing when three of their players, Hayden Stellenberg (Stellenberg High School), Aadam Thompson (SACS), and Bekapi (Langa Hockey Club), were included in the SA u18B side.
For Bekapi, the selection came as a shock. It’s news he’s still trying to process.
“I didn’t expect to be named in the team. I thought I would miss out again this year,” he told SuperSport Schools Plus.
“I think I played well in our first two games, but for the rest of the tournament, I felt like I was slacking, and that’s why I wasn’t positive.
“After I heard my name called out, I was shocked but also happy because all my hard work paid off.”
Bekapi, who is better known as “Kop” within his friendship group, attends Isilimela Secondary School and is in grade 11.
He plays for the Langa Hockey Club and recalls his earliest memories of picking up a stick.
“I started playing hockey when I was nine years old through a programme called Youth for Change.
“I was a goalkeeper at first but realised that’s not the position I wanted to play.
“I took a break from the sport for a year and played some cricket, but that also didn’t work out well for me, and then I returned to hockey, and I’ve been playing ever since.”
The 18-year-old also represented Province at u16 level. In 2022 and 2023, he was named in the u16B side.
He explained how hockey has helped him view the world differently: “The sport has impacted my life in so many ways,” he said. ““I have gone to some nice places because of hockey and have had some amazing experiences.
“I have experienced playing with different players at IPTs, different teams, and structures, and those are lessons I aim to bring back to my club.”
Bekapi’s message to the young children looking up to him is simple: “Anything is possible. Don’t let where you come from put you down. Keep on going, work hard and never give up.”
One of his goals is to represent South Africa at the Olympics one day.
However, for now, he hopes his performances at the IPT can get earn a sponsorship with a brand that will assist him with gear so he can perform at the highest level.
The SA u18A and u18B sides will assemble for a high-performance camp at Kearsney College from 9 to 12 October, and Bekapi will be there.
