By Chris Totobela
This Youth Month we celebrate young people making waves in different sporting codes. This week we feature Abongile Kondlo, a young female boxing referee.
The 27-year-old unemployed Transit Camp resident has always been involved in sport. “I played netball while I was still at primary school until matric, after which I joined local clubs and relocated to another city.”
Kondlo was introduced to the sport of boxing by Mfuzo Boxing Club’s founder Mfuzo Dyirha.
” When I came back to Makhanda in 2022, I had nothing to do as I was unemployed. I was invited to join a boxing club, but instead of putting on the gloves, I was more interested in officiating. I fell in love with the sport as it taught me self-defence and discipline.”
The ever-smiling and bubbly Kondlo went through the officiating ranks and climbed the ladder while making a name for herself as one of the top and reliable boxing officials in the country.
She recalls her first officiating duty. “I was not nervous because I knew I had to go out there and apply every rule I was taught perfectly, without fear or favour.”
Kondlo’s best moment in her career was when she was selected to do a level 3 course, a national qualification, in Aliwal north in 2023.
The opportunity came sooner than expected for her as she had just started with the sport and was still inexperienced, but her hard work and dedication earned her the success.
She has won numerous awards, but three stand out for her. “I won my club’s best referee award, Thembalethu Boxing Club’s tournament best referee and the Mdantsane City’s Women Tournament’s best official.”
The second-born child says her family has supported her since day one and she cannot imagine how tough her journey would be without their support.
Kondlo has an important message to the young people of Makhanda during this Youth Month: “If you see or think that your life is stuck, please try and find something positive to do and not drown yourselves in drugs and alcohol or any other substance that may harm you. Sport can really save you and distract you from bad habits.” She wishes to go as far as she possible can with the sport of boxing and says that not even the sky will be the limit for her.
