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MBABANE – The last grading held by the Eswatini Japan Karate Shoto (EJJS) was in 2019.
Five years later, EJKS remains with eight graded black belts. The COVID-19 pandemic halted progress for two years in 2020 and 2021.
EJKS President Wandile Masina said yesterday that they were back in action and looking forward to grading their martial artists with a few ready to move on with their ranks. “We’re only five years old but by 2019 we had graded five black belts and already had around 10 who were ready for it. We’re working on having our grading next March,” Masina said.
Affected
He said they were heavily affected by COVID-19 as their programmes were frozen after the national sports ban by the country’s government.
However, it was now under the hugely eased COVID-19 restrictions that all sport had resumed normal operation. Masina named some of the current black belts from 2019 as Kathy Wells, Frances Ferrel, Judith Veart, Tibo Muzat and Sidumo Dludlu.
He said those who would be graded in March would have the privilege of being assessed by renowned officials in Shihan Filip and Shihan Andre Kok from neighbouring South Africa (SA).
Meanwhile, EJKS had their fourth tournament since formation and first this year last Saturday at the Mbabane Club in preparation for an upcoming SA-billed tournament.
They currently have 225 active members under their karate style and with things back to normal, Masina said they expected to grow big with their aim being dominant in all four regions of Eswatini.