#knowyourbenoni – Benonian strengthens young minds with his passion
Westdene resident Aslam Mahomed is an optometrist and property developer and previously dabbled in cattle farming.
He moved to Benoni 20 years ago and met his wife, Sajida, while studying optometry at the University of Witwatersrand in 1998.
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He also earned a degree in diamonds at the Gemological Institute of America.
His passion, however, is martial arts and kickboxing, in which he is a world champion.
BCT: Tell us what role martial arts play in your life?
AM: My gym is called the United Martial Arts International South Africa.
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I have been an instructor for about 24 years.
I grew up in my father, Allan Mahomed’s, gym in Durban.
He has been doing martial arts for 72 years and his students call him ‘Kancho’, which means master and is a sign of respect.
I started doing martial arts as an 18-month-old baby, so I have been doing it for 36 years.
My wife and three children also do martial arts.
My kids, Mahmood (13), Ahmad (10) and Salaamah (6) are all world champions.
BCT: Why do you encourage children to do martial arts?
AM: It really boosts self-confidence.
Martial arts first focus on mental strength and then physical strength.
We live by five maxims and they are character, sincerity, effort, self-control and etiquette.
Martial arts students continue to excel in various other aspects of life such as academics and other sports.
I instil this in my children as well.
I also have several initiatives that benefit children such as anti-bullying, anti-rape and anti-doping/drugs campaigns.
BCT: Tell us about your achievements in the discipline.
AM: I have won 45 world championship titles in martial arts and kickboxing.
In April this year I hosted the very first South African Kickboxing Association’s national championships on the African continent in Kempton Park.
In October we went to Ireland to compete in the World Martial Arts Championships.
In November I was invited by the World Association of Kickboxing Organizations (WAKO) to represent South Africa.
WAKO was invited to have dinner in the Hungarian parliament, which I also attended.
BCT: Tell us about your plans for the future.
AM: I work with the president of the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee, Gideon Sam, on a pilot project to develop kickboxing and other sports in rural South Africa.
I am also working with the honourable deputy mayor of eThekwini, Fawzia Peer, to uplift the South African youth with kickboxing.
Next year, we hope to introduce the project to the whole African continent.
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