ABOVE: Trainer Claude Maphosa with some of the gogos
who attend his boxing classes. LEFT: The gogos show they
are much stronger than they look. RIGHT: Zodwa Thwala
says boxing keeps her young.With some persuasion from one of the
boxing grannies, we join in and it’s no
easy feat – but the women wearing box-
ing gloves make it lookeffortless.
The oldest member,
Zodwa Thwala (83),
can’t recall when she
joined the classes but
still remembers how
the firstonemadeherfeel.
“It gavemesomuchenergy,I felt
youngagain,”shesays,smiling.
motherofthreeattends
TuesdayandThursday
endoessomeoftheex-
t hometoo.“Ievenfor-
oldI amwhenI’mhere
e whenyouseemein
xingringI movelikea
person,”shelaughs.HEboxinggran-
niesallsharethe
samesentiments
regardingtheir
achievements.
Thebondtheyen-
s tight,theyfindit em-
oweringandsaythat
thehealth ailments
they had before they
started the classes are
almost non-existent.
Amos Matlabyana (62)
hisblood pressure has
ata normal level since
ined the classes last
I’ve become so much
erand I leave the class
o much better,” he says.
the classes so much
d two times a week isn’t
o I always try to be ac-
ghout the week until I
ome back here.”
thaZungu (63) lost her
a release and refuge in
ses.“I heard about the
nddecided to join. I’ve
tocoming every singleweek.
“It has helped me so much because the
class allowed me to de-stress and deal
withmyemotionsafterlosingmyson,”
shesays.
GogoMmabatho
Dikgole(59)enjoys
how the class
makesherlookand
feelyoungerandsaysit helpedimprove
herdiabeticcondition.
Herdoctorsuggestedshetakeupthe
classesandshe’sseena drasticimprove-
mentinherhealth.
“Iwasalwaysatthedoctorformyos-
teoarthritis,”shesays.“Myhouseis quite
a distancefromthecentresoinitiallyI’d
takea taxitogetherebutnowI walkand
I donotfeelstrained.I alwaysleavehap-
pierthanI waswhenI gothere.
“I feelmoreenergeticandI’mnotreli-
antonmedicationtorelieve
have.”
She’sfitterthanher21-year
ew,shequips.“I havebeentell
comebutyoungpeopleprefer
ownthing,”shesays.
“Althoughhe’sintomusicI st
agehimtotakecareofhisheal
hapshewillrealiseit whenheT
HE foundation hasp
role in the grannies’l
ever, Claude hopesit
even more of a differ
“I am a purpose-d
son and in everyth
think about how I can makea
someone’s life,” he says.
“The gogos’ commitmentt
inspires me so much, they’rem
other grannies to lead healthy
“They don’t have muchbut
the strength to come here.It’sg
purpose and it has madem
have the platform to do more
Claude has taken up other
such as school programmesw
ganises mathematics andsc
sons for school children intheas well as soccerlessonsforyoungboys.
“It’s not easytosustainthis,wedefi-
nitely needmoresupport,”hesays.
“Supportintheformoffunding for
newgymequipment,servicingof the
currentequipment,peoplevolunteering
totrainandteachandofferingmeals to
ourgogos.”
Hisaspirationfortheprogramme is
thatitreachesotherprovinceswhere
othergranniesaremotivatedtowork to-
wardsgoodhealth.
“Ijustwanttobreakthemindset that
oldpeopleshouldsitathomeand do
nothing– weshouldn’tbeexpecting that
fromthem,”hesays.
Thefoundationhasbeenexpanded
toSowetoandClaudeis currentlywork-
ingonexpandingittoIvoryPark and
Alexandra.
“Thegranniesaregoingtohaveanex-
h b h h ’ll‘In the boxing ring I move
like a young person’
er lessons for young boys.anypainI-oldneph-
linghimto
todotheirtillencour-
lthbutper-
getsolder.”playeda big
lives.How-
tcanmake
rence.
drivenper-
hingI doI
achange into thegym
motivating
ylifestyles.
ttheyfind
giventhem
e realiseI
.”
initiatives
hereheor-
cienceles-
e townshiphibitionverysoonwherethey’llmeet
othergranniesandhelpthemboxtheir
wayintoa healthierlifestyle.”
AAt theendoftheintenseclass,the
grouplooksandfeelsenergised.
It justgoestoshowthatage real-
ly is nothing but a numberr.GETTY IMAGES/GALLO IMAGES
yoyoyounununngggaaa
Them
everyT
andofte
ercisesat
gethowo
becaus
thebox
young
joyis
poA
says
been
he jo
year.“
strong
feelingso
“I love
thatI find
enough,so
tivethroug
canfinallyco
WhenMart
sonshefound
theboxingclas
classesin 2015 an
been committedt