Kunene honoured with SAGDB long service award

Joseph Kunene has served the SAGDB with distinction since 2000

Joseph Kunene has been blazing a trail for golf development in KwaZulu Natal over the last decade. This commitment was honoured with a special 10 Year Service Award from the South African Golf Development Board at the end of June.

“A long service award is given to someone who exemplifies an excellent work ethic, dedication, commitment, loyalty and demonstrates outstanding service,” said managing director, Ken Viljoen. “Joseph’s dedication to the South African Golf Development Board encompasses this ideology.

“Joseph has devoted his life to golf development in this region since he joined us in 2000. He has been a key figure in the organisation and his conduct is always credit to the company. We feel extremely honoured to acknowledge his commitment in this way.”

Award in hand, the effervescent Kunene has no plans to slow down.

“I feel incredibly honoured to receive this award,” said Kunene. “There have been some bumps in the road, but overall, the last 10 years have been an unbelievable experience.”

He commended the dedicated coaches in KZN and gave a special thanks to the endless support of SAGDB chairman Johann Rupert.

“Through Mr Rupert’s support, we have touched and changed the lives many children,” he said. “But we shouldn’t dwell on the last decade too long, because there is work to be done for the future.

Kunene enthusiasm is contagious and it was his love for golf that carried him to the KwaZulu Natal Golf Union in Durban in 1999 and eventually delivered him to the SAGDB in June 2000.

“I grew up in Tatkhale Township in Dunnhauser,” explained Kunene. “The Durnacol Golf Club, which belonged to the Durnacol Mine, was next to the township. I was about 13 years old when I started caddying there with my friends. We earned R5 for 18 holes, a fortune back then.

“Between the course and the township there was a field where we fashioned a golf course for ourselves with two par-fours, two par-fives and a par-three. We made our own clubs from pipes and used tyre tubes to make these really thick grips. Then we would take ourselves to our course and practice everything we picked up from the guys we caddied for.”

A couple of years down the line, Kunene got some clubs and his game improved. It was while caddying at Durnacol that he would get his first taste of playing on a real golf course.

“I was carrying the bag for Allan Devitt, who is the current secretary of the KZN Golf Union,” Kunene explained. “On the back nine he told me to take his clubs and play the 16th and 17th holes. I was incredibly nervous but I made par on both holes. It was a pretty big moment for me.”

Kunene took a job in the materials recruitment section at Durnacol Mine after he matriculated from Phathakahle High School in 1988 and transferred to the Human Relations Department in 1989. “I was able to join the golf club and that May, I became their first black member. They gave me a 10 handicap but that improved pretty quickly.”

In 1992 Kunene was elected to the committee and served as vice captain from 1994 to 1998. He was due to take over as captain in 1999, but his term was railroaded by the mine and club closing down. He immediately took the KZN Golf Union up on their offer to become their development officer and relocated to Durban. He joined the SAGDB a year later.

“I love working with children, especially when we first introduce them to golf,” said Kunene. “Their enthusiasm, commitment and dedication have given me the courage to care on these past 10 years.

“Some of my proudest moments have been when our graduates have gone on to greater heights. In 2006, Calvin Coelho made the Under-18 Interprovincial Team and this year, Phiwakahle Nkoma was picked. Both players were selected on merit.

“It is our responsibility to take golf to the children, to teach them the values of this great game and to teach them the basic skills. It is our responsibility to take those that show promise and harness their talent. We have to encourage them to go all the way and give them the tools to achieve their goals.

“I was empowered by a few kind words and gestures from Alan Devitt and I believe that is how we create future champions and empower others.

“The SAGDB has its fair share of critics, but I believe we have achieved a lot in terms of golf development and we are going full speed into the future.”