Banele is a learner at Lihawu High School. He represented South Africa at international level in July, after winning the u/16 open category at the South African Junior Closed Chess Championships in Benoni.

This young man is also a 2017 African Youth Chess Championships (AYCC) bronze medallist. Players from all over Ehlanzeni region competed in various categories such as the open section, A section, B section, C section and D section.

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Other players who took first place in their categories are Gift Onwusaka (A section), Khanya Manana (B section), Abdul-Samad Patel (C section) and Cyril-Junior Mathebula (D section).

In a statement, Karen Taljaard of Ehlanzeni Chess said that they were very happy to welcome players from Daantjie Chess Club to the tourney.

“It was the first official tournament that the players from this club participated in. We want to congratulate the LOC and exco from Chess Unlimited on a wonderful tournament. Congratulations to all the winners in each category. To those who did not end at the top, keep working hard, keep practising and keep on playing chess,” she said.
Results

Open section:
1. Banele Mhango
2. Jeffrey Mthetho
3. Dumisa Nkosi

A section:
1. Gift Onwusaka
2. Braam Visser
3. Eugene Lourens

B section:
1. Khanya Manana
2. Christiaan van der Watt
3. Pierre Janse van Rensburg

C section:
1. Abdul-Samad Patel
2. Henco Venter
3. Jessica Muller

D section
1. Cyril-Junior Mathebula
2. Jean Eksteen
3. JC Botha.