Boxing, sports can change prisoners’ lives: former death row inmate Kana

Former activist says sports programmes brought huge improvements in offenders’ motivation, discipline and behaviour

08 January 2025 - 12:12
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Boxing matchmaker Luyanda Kana. File photo
Boxing matchmaker Luyanda Kana. File photo
Image: Michael Sheehan/Gallo Images

Boxing is a profoundly powerful engagement hook that can help turn lives around and ultimately make society safer, says former death row inmate and now award-winning boxing matchmaker Luyanda Kana.

Kana got involved in boxing after being advised by Makhenkesi Stofile, former Eastern Cape premier, to get inmates out of mischief by training them for boxing. Kana was serving time in the Middledrift Maximum Security Prison.

Anti-apartheid activist Stofile was convicted in 1987 under the Internal Security Act for terrorism, illegal possession of weapons and furthering the aims of the ANC. 

Kana, who was sentenced to death for his political activities, said the carefully controlled programmes brought about huge improvements in offenders’ levels of engagement, physical and mental wellbeing, motivation, discipline, respect and good behaviour.

“When that programme went well then-minister of correctional services Ngconde Balfour launched boxing as a sport in all correctional centres in South Africa and became part of their rehab programme,” said Kana, who was pardoned by then president Thabo Mbeki in 2002 after being in jail for 14 years.

That programme helped a number of inmates who became South African champions after being released from jail. Kana and Mandlakayise Jakavu trained inmates that included Mzukisi Roberts, Sabelo Jubata, Lindile Tshemese, Bonakele Bikitsha, Dumisani Maka and Stanley Gola.

Roberts won the BSA development programme Baby Champs; Tshemese, who came to prison without knowing how to box, became the South African junior bantamweight champion, with Jubata winning the national featherweight belt. Bikitsha, Maka and Gola won provincial titles.

[These days prisoners] are idle with nothing to do and get involved in stupid things like gangsterism.
Luyanda Kana, boxing matchmaker 

Kana, who stopped training and focused on matching bouts, said: “The department should consider doing what former minister Balfour did and reintroduce sports in general, boxing in particular [in prisons].

“They are idle with nothing to do and get involved in stupid things like gangsterism. They are calling me even now asking me to help with training equipment,” said Kana, whose commitment earned him the BSA matchmaker of the year award in 2018.

“I can't just take equipment to prisons when authorities don't have regard for the sport. It needs their permission and surely there are good people out there who can donate equipment.”

Another former inmate who has changed his life around for the better since coming out of prison is Khaya Busakwe from Central Western Jabavu in Soweto. Trained by accomplished veteran Norman Hlabane, Busakwe reigns supreme as the lightweight champion and is the only national boxing champ from Soweto now.

“I congratulate him,” says Kana, who is optimistic government will consider reintroducing sports behind bars.

SowetanLIVE


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