Mfuleni Boxing Academy undaunted
The Mfuleni Boxing Academy opened its doors to boxers from the area in 2010. In most townships, the reason community members open up sports clubs is to try and get the youth off the streets and away from gangsterism and substance abuse. Mfuleni is no exception.
The manager of the academy, Sandile Bokfela, has a personal reason too. “I used to be a boxer myself and I had no manager. I was doing everything myself and I don’t want that for my boxers,” he says.
“Our biggest problem is that we don’t have equipment and we don’t get support even from the boys’ parents. We can’t get funding because people say boxing is a contact sport and therefore it’s dangerous.”
Young boxers from the Mfuleni Boxing Academy exercising with makeshift equipment. Photo by Masixole Feni.
Among the hardships the academy must face is the lack of equipment. “This makes it hard to prepare our boxers for tournaments,” says Bokfela.
Young boxers from the Mfuleni Boxing Academy doing their roadwork. Photo by Masixole Feni.
Nevertheless, three of the boxers at the academy, Ntsikelelo Lamati (14), Ayabulela Mbocana (14), and Lisakhanya Melani (12), are undaunted and will take part in the provincial boxing tournament this month.
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