WHILE the South African Sport Confederation and Olympic Committee is still trying to unify karate, Gauteng leaders of full contact style have organised a juniors' tournament in Tembisa on Saturday.
Organised by the International Karate Organisation Matsushima group, the development tournament will be held at Sam Hlalela community centre.
"It will feature both boys and girls from U13s to 19s. The tournament is for all contact styles in Gauteng province," said top karate boss Peter "Poison" Thage yesterday.
"We cannot allow a situation where karate is temporarily suspended until the process by Sascoc to normalise karate in South Africa is completed.
"We (karate organisations) are working closely with Sascoc board member Mubarak Mohamed, who has been appointed to unify the sport.
"We have made a submission to Mr Mohamed that we need a national structure of full-contact karate that will make it easier for the government to fund us.
"Karateka also want to see themselves being awarded national colours, as is happening with netball, soccer, softball, rugby and cricket," said Thage.