Not thrown by challenge

HAVING survived in the tough world of judo, Sondisa Magajana was unperturbed when friends and colleagues told him he was on mission impossible trying to coach the sport to deaf, visually impaired and disabled children.

But four years later, the Volkswagen employee, 37, gives instruction to more than 300 children, including able-bodied pupils, in the Eastern Cape on a daily basis.

Even though he works as a process monitor for the Uitenhage company, not much stands in the way of his passion to give something back to the community.

Magajana's efforts have seen him nominated for the Herald Citizen of the Year award.