Karate master about to gain global fame

When Job Magagula, standing only 1,73 metres tall, enters the room, greets you with a warm smile while your hand is tightly, but safely wrapped in his, it is hard to believe that this kind-hearted, gentle man from Lydenburg has not one or two, but four black belts to his name.
Having recently won a bronze medal at the 10th Taekwondo World
Championships in Coventry, UK, was definitely one of his best memories to date, but he quickly adds another exciting one – “I will soon star in an international film – The African Dragon”.
Magagula explains how he caught the eye of Phillipean director, Nelson Vargas, after the Nigerian stuntman and TRIBE actor, Duke Maya, saw his martial-arts pictures on Facebook.

“Duke contacted me, telling me that they were looking for a South African actor and martial artist for the movie.
“He flew down to South Africa and we met in Pretoria.
I was then introduced to Vargas who asked me if I would be interested in a leading role in a film about illegal drugs and how it destroys the lives of South African children.”
With excitement in his eyes he tells how the movie aims to encourage people worldwide to stand up and fight this evil.

For him it was “an opportunity not to be missed” and a chance to encourage the youth to participate in martial arts, or any other sport, to keep them off the streets.
Magagula was born in Mashishing, and although it seems as if the world is his oyster, the road to success has not always been easy.
He started his martial-arts journey when he was only eight years old after he grew tired of being a victim of bullying. “One day my brother came to me, took me by the hand and introduced me to karate instructor, Elmon Khoza.”
He trained with Khoza for four more years and was then introduced to Simon Jele, a second black belt in wado ryu karate.
Becoming more and more entrenched in the sport, it became a way of life. Being passionate about the sport, Magagula endured many difficulties and setbacks and managed to pass his forth black-belt grading in 2011, making him a master in taekwondo.
Although he is currently working in Nelspruit as sales manager at Scorpion Legal Protection as well as fitness instructor at Virgin Active, he will always have a special place for Mashishing and would love to see a club open here.
“I always receive such a warm welcome and although I have a club in Nelspruit, it would be wonderful to see one open here.”
Impossible is a word he does not know; he dreams of opening clubs all around the province and is currently preparing for the 2016 world
championships where he hopes to grab the gold for demonstration and the world black belt in fighting.
“I believe the only difference between possible and impossible lies in one’s will,” he says.