Legendary skater Tony Hawk was part of the launch of South Africa’s first skate school Skateistan, based in Maboneng, Johannesburg.

The crowd, both young and old, were treated to an hour-long display in which Hawk showcased his signature skills and injured his shin in the process. Also in attendance were Birdhouse skaters, David Loy and Shawn Hale as well as Durban skateboarder, Thalente Biyela.

Skateistan, which opened officially on Sunday 14 August, is an NGO which uses skateboarding as a tool to empower low-income and at-risk young people. Already, 130 students have registered for the various programmes.

The organisation has been active in Johannesburg since 2014, while the completion of the construction of the Skate School has the goal to reach more youth in the Johannesburg Central Business District.

The website states: “Thanks to the support of Royal Danish Embassy, Comic Relief and Tony Hawk Foundation, we will offer weekly programs to over 300 registered students in 2016, and more than 400 by the end of 2017.”