Thirty years is a lot of kicks, punches, kata, gradings and, perhaps most importantly, people walking through the Ian Duncan Karate Centre dojo doors and becoming part of a karate family.

That is what makes the milestone particularly meaningful for sensai Devashen Naidoo, who says the dojo’s decades are measured not only in medals and achievements, but in the people and memories built along the way. “Reaching 30 years is incredibly meaningful to us because it represents so much more than the age of the dojo. It represents three decades of people, friendships, discipline, hard work and shared memories.” With the guidance of Megan Duncan, sensei Sudesh Naidoo, sensei Mike Adamson, sensei Olivia Bamford and Naidoo have been running the dojo since October 2019.
At the heart of that history is the late sensei Ian Duncan, whose influence continues to shape the dojo and the values taught to its students. Duncan attained eighth dan black belt in 2019 after grading under a panel headed by KWF grandmaster Mikio Yahara. His career included four world titles, with one of his highlights being first place in veteran kata at the Karate no Michi World Federation World Championship in Japan in 2007.

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He also won masters kata at the 1994 South African JKA National Championships and gold in both O35 kata and kumite at the 1992 championships. However, for Naidoo, the dojo’s story is about more than its founder’s achievements.

Over the years, students have grown into young adults, families have trained together and friendships have developed through classes, gradings, seminars and competitions. Much of the dojo’s history has been based at Beaulieu College, with teaching also taking place at Crawford College Lonehill and Kyalami Schools. The dojo now has students ranging from four to 80 years old, proving that age does not determine who can become part of the karate family. “The faces may change and new generations of students come through the dojo, but the principles of character, sincerity, effort, etiquette and self-control remain at its heart,” said Naidoo.

Those lessons often follow students beyond the training floor. Naidoo said the dojo gives younger students structure and teaches them that progress comes through consistency, hard work and overcoming setbacks. “Watching a shy child find confidence, or seeing someone persevere until they achieve a goal they once thought was beyond them, is incredibly rewarding.”

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The dojo’s competitive journey has continued, with students and instructors earning medals at KWF SA National Championships in recent years and taking part in the 2023 and 2025 KWF World Cup in Tokyo.

Now, as the dojo looks ahead, Naidoo hopes its young students will eventually become instructors and world champions themselves. “Thirty years is an important milestone, but we don’t see it as an ending; we see it as a responsibility to honour what has been built, to keep evolving, and to make sure the next generation inherits something strong enough that they will be proud to carry it forward for another 30 years.”

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