Date: November 5, 2022
Venue: Naledi Community Hall, Soweto, Johannesburg
Organizers/Host: Sensei Thandeka Mbonambi (4th dan)
Gauteng Province WKO Shinkyokushinkai had a successful kyu grading on November 5 at the Naledi Community Hall in Soweto, Johannesburg from 09:00 to 13:00. The event was attended by 24 students taking part in the kyu grading examination, and most were white belts taking a grading examination for the first time. The youngest participant was 4 years old. The event was attended by students from Naledi dojo in Soweto, a township of the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality, students from Heidelberg dojo in Heidelberg town in the Sedibeng District under Lesedi Municipality and students from Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University (formerly MEDUNSA) in the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality. Naledi dojo is a new dojo that started operating since February 2022 under sensei Thandeka Mbonambi, assisted by sempai Mnelisi Ngcobo (1st dan) and Thabiso Mlambo (1 kyu). The dojo has since enrolled 40 students who take up karate lessons here on a daily basis, supported by the parents and local community.
The grading was conducted by Shihan Isaac Mashinini (7th dan), assisted by Senseis Khehla Jele (4th dan), Humbulani Mphuma (3rd dan), Clement Baloyi (4th dan), Bongiwe Skosana (3rd dan) and Thandeka “Gogo” Mbonambi (4th dan). The sessions included physical exercises, kihon, ido geiko, kata and kumite in line with the grading syllabus according to each kyu. It was a great day and a new exciting experience for the students to have spent the day with Shihan Mashinini and the Senseis. The students learned a lot from the instructors. The students were encouraged to continue training and practicing the kihons, ido geiko and katas in order to master the fundamentals of Shinkyokushinkai karate.
The host and Shihan Mashinini congratulated all the students who successfully completed the grading and expressed their gratitude to all participants, the instructors and the parents who supported the events. Shihan Mashinini was impressed with the performance and the budo spirit displayed by the juniors during the grading. WKO Shinkyokushinkai believes in community building through karate and that through sports we can have better society and together we can eradicate crime and other related bad activities as more children will find purposes and be committed to positive behavior through practicing karate.
Sensei Andronica Shonhiwa (nee Rakgantso)
Assistant to President Isaac Mashinini;
WKO South Africa/Africa Region.
On Behalf of Gauteng Province WKO Shinkyokushinkai, Naledi dojo
