COMMITMENT, passion and persistance, it’s three pillars of South Africa’s Karate legend and Durban North resident, Kyoshi Sonny Pillay’s life. The 62-year-old was recently elected president of Karate South Africa (KSA) receiving the majority vote from seven out of the eight provinces who participated in the national elections earlier this year.
For Pillay, it was the completion of 46 year journey of blood, sweat and tears. “I’d never envisaged one day being president but it’s a dream come true. This would not have possible without my family’s support,” he said.
While his name is synonomous with the sport of karate, he also acknowledged the fighting spirit of what he feels are the unsung sports heroes of the rainbow nation, including Papwa Sewgolum and martial arts pioneer, Raku Soobiah Naidoo to name a few.
“My priority moving forward is to focus on development and unity within the sport. Karate is the second largest sport in the world and the future is bright for South Africa, especially with the growing talent pool within the country,” he said.
