After the death of his mother, teenager and swimming champion Themba has to move in with his father Amos, a dry alcoholic, whom he hasn't heard from in ten years. Together they leave Johannesburg and settle in Hopeville, which is known for its swimming pool. Their disappointment is great when they discover that it is a neglected town and the swimming pool is closed and in a deplorable state. First of all, Amos has to prove to the mayor Patrick Gumede that he is the ideal person for the post of "park and recreation area manager"...

Amos presents the mayor with a project for the renovation of the swimming pool, which he immediately rejects. For his part, Themba clashes with comrades who force him to commit a crime in which Themba witnesses a terrible apparition. A student who lives in the township of Halala with Ma Dolly, an old woman who takes in orphans, confesses to Themba that Hopeville is haunted. A ghost is spying on the residents....

Every year, Ma Dolly reminds churchgoers that the mayor never kept his promise to build an orphanage. After his working hours, Amos rolls up his sleeves and clears the pool of trash and litter. In this way, he gradually wins the trust of his fellow citizens. Meanwhile, Themba commits petty theft with his school gang and calls his Aunt Flo to tell her he has the impression his father has started drinking again. At the table, he tells his father that he has no confidence in him and that he will surely give up the swimming pool project soon.

Amos befriends the young ice-cream seller and mistress of the mayor Fikile and now enjoys the trust of almost all the inhabitants. However, he is unaware that the grouchy Felix Venter, who is guarding a dark secret, is secretly watching him. While Themba now has a more positive attitude towards his father Amos, the latter continues with the renovation of the swimming pool and becomes the victim of a plot instigated by the mayor...

Although it looks like Amos has won the battle, a treacherous act and the vote of the local council may prevent the opening of the renovated swimming pool. Themba, bored and hanging around the dusty little town, happens to meet one of the men who betrayed his father. Amos is in for another disappointment....

The result of the local council's vote is a slap in the face for Amos. He also has to make a difficult decision regarding the future of his son. The latter, however, resists his father's will. The mayor, meanwhile, enjoys his victory at a reception he holds at his luxury villa alongside his wife, while at odds with Fikile. If he wants to turn the tide, Amos must take the risk of confronting the dreaded Felix Venter and reveal some dark secrets...