Rising from the Ashes: Mitchell’s Plain Kickboxing Club Fights Back After Devastating Fire
Mitchell’s Plain is home to more than just stories of resilience — it’s where passion and community spirit meet strength, discipline, and hope. For over a decade, the Mitchell’s Plain Kickboxing Club has been a vital hub in Westridge, providing young people with more than just a place to throw punches. Under the guidance of Chief Instructor Jeremy Peterson, the club has been shaping futures, instilling discipline, and giving the youth an alternative to the streets.
Unfornately earlier this year, tragedy struck. A suspected arson attack on a neighboring property set off a fire that spread to Peterson’s home, where the club stored much of its training equipment. In a matter of minutes, years of hard work and sacrifice from punching bags and gym mats to gloves and weights went up in smoke.
“We basically lost all our equipment,” Peterson recalls. “The fire destroyed our lounge, part of the garage, and everything we used to train the kids. It was devastating.”
Fighting Spirit Never Dies
Despite the loss, the club has refused to bow down. The timing could not have been worse, with six fighters preparing for the National Championships in October 2025, including Peterson himself. Training came to a halt, but the story didn’t end there. In true martial arts fashion, the community fought back. Neighboring clubs rallied together, donating equipment and helping the Mitchell’s Plain Kickboxing Club get back on its feet. Names like Sensei Irfan Jacobs (Gofu Broke MMA), Sensei Wayne Karim (Bushido), and Sheehan Etian (Iron Tiger) stepped in with gloves, pads, and mats to keep training alive.
“When we started this club in 2013, we had nothing,” says Peterson. “We built it piece by piece. So even though the fire set us back, it won’t stop us. Our focus is still on the Nationals.”
More Than Just Kickboxing
For Peterson and his fighters, kickboxing is more than sport , it’s a lifeline. The club offers young people a safe space to learn discipline, channel their energy, and grow in confidence. “Development is our key focus,” Peterson explains. “Mitchell’s Plain is big, and our goal is to attract as many young people as possible into the sport. It’s not just about fitness. It’s about teaching discipline, creating structure, and giving hope.”
Community Challenges After the Fire
As if losing their equipment wasn’t enough, Peterson’s family also faced looting attempts in the days following the blaze. With their windows shattered and home smoke-damaged, opportunists prowled the property. “I had to stand guard for weeks after the fire,” Peterson shares. “People saw it as a chance to come and take what little we had left.” Yet through sleepless nights, Peterson kept his eyes on the bigger fight — rebuilding not just a gym, but a dream that belongs to an entire community.
How You Can Help
The Mitchell’s Plain Kickboxing Club has launched a BackaBuddy donation campaign to rebuild what was lost. Every contribution, big or small, goes toward buying new training equipment and restoring the space for the fighters who call it home.
If you’d like to stand behind Coach Peterson and his team as they prepare for Nationals and continue to mentor the youth of Mitchell’s Plain, you can support their fundraising efforts via their BackaBuddy page on Facebook.
- At Bush Radio’s Morning Cruise, we salute the Mitchell’s Plain Kickboxing Club. From ashes to action, this is more than a comeback story , it’s proof that in the heart of the Cape Flats, resilience is stronger than fire.
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