Karatekas practice in Kinross
Students take part in KSA National Development Championship.
Karatekas from the surrounding areas got together on August 19 at the Sasol Recreation Club in Kinross to train for the KSA National Development Championship, held in Johannesburg on August 25 and 26.
These karatekas are part of the Mpumalanga Development team and about 50 attended the session in Kinross.
The sensei of the Universal Shotokan Karate Union (USKU) Club in Secunda, Breshnev Dhlamini, said karate saved his life.
“As a child, growing up was difficult for me. The other children laughed at me when I began with karate,” he said.
Dhlamini stuttered, and children often laughed at him, especially when he had to do a speech in class.
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“When I met the sensei who trained me, Simon Mokoena, he taught me that whenever I feel attached emotionally, I could use karate, and he would take responsibility for me at my school.
“Mokoena gave me the confidence to be myself at school and nobody laughed at me after I began taking karate lessons.
“I am so thankful for Mokoena because today I am a perfect professional at work, and I never come across people who make fun of my stuttering.”
Dhlamini today runs a big dojo in Secunda. He is also qualified to become a provincial karate coach.
