IPELEGENG – Many consider it a simple sports code while others say it is a foreign sport.
However, for a group of students from Mamusa Karate Club in Ipelegeng, it is much more profound than that.
Mamusa Karate Club was established in September 2022 by a highly graded black belt holder Kabelo Seetelo, with the motive of instilling discipline and passing the techniques of self defence to the students.
Some of the club’s students have already graduated from the entry-level white belt to a variety of belts, including orange, blue, yellow, green and purple.
This was done at a ranking ceremony held at the Ipelegeng Multi-Purpose Center on November 26, 2022, after they had undergone several combat techniques.
The founder of Mamusa Karate Club, Kabelo Seetelo, began karate in 1997 when he was in his twenties, and along the way he earned several grades, including three black belts. Asked about the goal of the karate club, Seetelo told MORONGWA that it isall about discipline and being able to defend yourself when you are cornered into violent situations.
“With so many incidents of GBV in the country, women are becoming increasingly vulnerable. We thus teach them, without excluding men, techniques of self-defence. We also teach them to always be disciplined at all times.”
“We also want to keep young people off the streets, alcohol and drugs, so we always welcome new recruits. Young boys and girls, men and women who are able-bodied and not severely physically injured are welcome to join the club. We train from Monday to Thursday between 5pm and 7pm at the Multi-Purpose Centre”, said Seetelo.
