The mind and heart of 14-year-old chess prodigy Khazimla Mjanyana are winning out against the pathological crush of socio-economic poverty and violence.
The young teenager lives in a shack with his single and unemployed mother and brother.
Yet the daily poverty and the struggles of township life have not prevented his burgeoning love of the game of chess and he is starting to play at the big, glitzy venues in East London and beyond.
Growing up in a shack in Ziphunzane, one of East London’s toughest townships, has been hard.
The area is a lottery of criminal activity, with plenty of unemployed people just trying to survive, while the youth are finding escape in meaningless, distracting and harmful activities.
But the grade 9 pupil from Ebenezer Majombozi High has sharpened his mental resolve to rise above it all.
He adopts this positive outlook every day from the moment he wakes.
It’s working because his chess fortunes are rising.
He is preparing to play the local prestigious tournament MYICC, hosted by East London’s ICC from December 15-20, where he could be the next young star to appear in chess, itself a pitiless world of cut and thrust.
Early next year, he will compete at the SA Junior Chess Championships in Durban. He will carry with him his tactics and the well-wishes and hopes of his family and community.
After narrowly missing out in previous tournaments, he earned his spot at nationals following an impressive performance at the Eastern Cape Closed Tournament held recently in Gqeberha, where he outsmarted seasoned player Tyler Botha, scoring three points out of six, which earned him a rating of 14.82.
This qualification capped-off a stellar season in which Mjanyana collected five medals and a trophy — including gold and a trophy at the East London IDZ Chess Tournament, silver at the Buffalo City Metro U16 trials, and bronze at both the Eastern Cape Chess Open and Buffalo City Junior Closed Chess Championships.
Reflecting on his journey, the skinny, soft-spoken Mjanyana said the path to success had been tough, but relentless practise and discipline had made all the difference.
“Last year, I wasn’t strong enough to compete, but I grew from my mistakes,” he said.
“I learnt to identify my opponents’ weaknesses, and that helped me improve. Now, my game is stronger because I never stopped practising. I feel ready to take on the best.”
Mjanyana described the Gqeberha tournament as a turning point, an opportunity that would have been impossible without discipline and the support he has received.
“It was tough — those players had more experience, but I enjoyed the challenge. Playing at that level prepared me for nationals. I’m confident I can compete and hopefully win, so I can take a step closer to my dream of becoming a grandmaster.
“Most kids are doing bad things, like smoking, and drinking alcohol, but I know I’m too young for those things.
“I feel like I found refuge in chess. It keeps my mind clear. I have good support from my coaches and my school teachers.”
His life changed course when Gompo Chess Club president and well known coach, Thembelani Mpithikezi, spotted the nascent talent and took him under his wing.
“Coach Mpithikezi has been very supportive and always checks in with my teachers to make sure I don’t fall behind at school,” he said.
“He’s taught me so much about chess, and I appreciate everything he’s done for me because he goes beyond teaching me about the board.”
Mpithikezi said Mjanyana’s raw determination immediately stood out and he felt drawn to refining his knowledge about the sport.
“This boy only started playing chess last year, but he’s achieved so much in such a short time,” Mpithikezi said.
“He took part in a tournament in Beacon Bay without even telling me — and when I arrived there, he was already competing against experienced players — and he won one of his matches!”
Since then, Mpithikezi has intensified their training regimen to prepare Mjanyana for high-pressure competitions.
He had faith in his scholar.
“He’s patient on the board now and takes time to analyse each move. Before playing at these tournaments, he made hasty decisions and lost games.
“But now he is getting stronger and smarter with each game, no matter if he loses or wins.
“I expect him to cause an upset at the MYICC Tournament, and at the Junior Champs.”
Mjanyana’s mother, Phatheka, said raising two children without an income was a daily struggle for the family.
“But I feel very blessed to have him. Now he is at the stage where most kids are starting to experience izinto ezingalunganga [risky, bad behaviour], like some kids his age are already experimenting with drugs and alcohol.
“He is showing me he is not that type of kid. Raising them is not easy because I don’t have a job and sometimes I move around with them, looking for a cheaper shack to rent.
“But that has never affected him negatively. He’s always been an understanding kid since I’m a single parent.
“I always pray and God has been helping me carry these children with my teeth, no-one is supporting me. It is only my neighbours who care to help us.”
Phatheka said the support from Ebenezer and the local chess fraternity had been amazing.
“The school, and his coaches, Thembelani Mpithikezi and Musa Jikijela, Mr Phakade, have carried us through his chess games.
“I don’t know what I would have done without their help. I just wish I could have money to buy him a new uniform so he can look presentable when he plays for the school. He also doesn’t have travelling clothes, but he never lets that get him down. He’s very optimistic about his game.”
This past weekend, Mjanyana played practice matches at his club, winning four games and drawing one.
He said he wanted to achieve a rating of 2,500, but it would be a challenge for him because he could not practise alone.
“I would like to play the game anytime, so I can improve more. If I had a cellphone, I could practise every time using the app, but I can’t afford one.
“I don’t even have a chessboard; I have to practice with guys at the club.
“But I know these are challenges I have to go through to become a grandmaster.”
Most kids are doing bad things, like smoking, and drinking alcohol, but I know that I’m too young for all those things. I feel like found refuge in chess. It keeps my mind clear. I have good support from my coaches and my school teachers
