VIDEO: Welcome to the Gwijo Squad

WORLD CUP SPOTLIGHT: They have become a fixture at Springbok Tests. They are loud and jovial.

Welcome to Gwijo Squad!

It all started at the South African A versus French Barbarians game at the Moses Mabhida stadium in Durban in June 2017.

The problem was the stadium was empty.

Chulumanco Macingwane contacted a few friends with his concern that such a tangible opportunity to connect people with their country's sports people was being lost. A week later, 35 people united in Soweto to add their voices to a game that saw the same two teams face each other - but to a way more enthusiastic backdrop.

The Gwijo Squad was born.

With most members hailing from the Eastern Cape, the Gwijo Squad is a sports fans movement with the vision and purpose of stimulating inclusive involvement for supporters around the country across rugby, cricket and netball, by igniting a cohesive energy that unifies people through song.

You don't need a skill. You don't need to memorise lyrics. You don't need to know any sort of choreography.

"By demonstrating the power of igwijo, we aim to serve as a catalyst for inclusivity," says Gwijo Squad Chairman, Chulumanco Macingwane.

"Unity and transformation of how South Africans of all creeds and colours support their national teams in a way that is uniquely - and authentically - South African!

"It is this camaraderie across all walks of South African lives that we believe will spill over as goodwill for collaborative development throughout other spheres in our beautiful country. The Gwijo Squad is South African and South Africans are the Gwijo Squad."

Source: @GwijoSquad