Sensei determined to continue teaching despite venue challenges

A dedicated Daveyton sensei and his son had to close their karate school in September last year because Ekurhuleni metro staff have occupied the venue they used.

The two are now concerned about the plight of youngsters they fought hard to get off the streets and away from drugs.

Sensei Isaac Maila was born in Daveyton and currently lives in Crystal Park.

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He explained that the Yuishin Kai Karate Shool was first established in Daveyton in 1966, but had to close in 2014 when the Sinaba Stadium, from where it operated, was vandalised.

The doors to the karate school were reopened to the public on March 31, 2018, again in Daveyton, by Isaac.

“I became a student at the school when it originally opened, at the age of 10, and then became an instructor,” he said.

“Due to personal circumstances I had to leave Daveyton, but I returned in 2014 to reopen the school because of the alcohol, drug abuse and gangs on the streets.

“I was hoping to keep the youth off the streets and occupied at the karate school.”

But Isaac’s dream has been cut short due to them having to vacate their current venue.

“We were informed that the venue was no longer available for us to use as it was being given to the EMPD to use as an office,” Isaac explained.

“I don’t understand why the metro would give a sport facility to the EMPD and sacrifice the future of children.

“This decision led to many bumps in the road for us, which eventually led to the closure of the school.”

Isaac’s son, Kgomotso, a personal trainer and full-time martial artist, was the sensei at the Yuishin Kai Karate School when it reopened and taught there until the school’s closure in September last year.

“We were kicked out of the building and received notice that the tennis court hall, which was our venue, will be used as an EMPD office after it was refurbished,” said Kgomotso.

“We were offered corridors and a soccer tunnel walkway, which made it very difficult to teach our students.

“These areas were cold, small and often not available.

“We pleaded with the tennis court management to gain access, but this was denied.”

He added that their karate students endured all of this during the same time that a brutal township gang known as OVL roamed the streets.

Parents began pulling their children from the school over concerns for their safety and others dropped out themselves.

“Lack of funds then started to make things a lot harder, like travelling, karate suits and renting the hall and we were left with no other choice but to close the school,” Kgomotso said.

The EMPD spokesperson and acting chief superintendent Kobeli Mokheseng said it is not clear at this stage who gave the karate school notice, adding “it was definitely not the EMPD because we are not in a position to issue such letters.

“As far as we can tell, the Community Safety Forum took occupation of that office (tennis court hall) at the beginning of 2017, and has solemnly used that structure as an office,” Mokheseng said.

“The EMPD is not aware that it is earmarked for that building following renovations and we never noticed any other parties sharing or co-habiting at the hall.

“We are confirming that we are temporarily using part of the building after we were permitted and accommodated by SRAC.”

Isaac has been doing martial arts for more than 40 years, teaching tai chi, qigong (internal art), yuishin kai karate and kobujutsu (empty hands and weapons arts) and he continues to teach at home at The Dojo, in Benoni Agricuture Holdings, despite all that has transpired.