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 Reg Park had heard about Masite during a trip to South Africa a
decade ago and offered him advice that helped the bodybuilder win
national championships. Now Masite wants to give other poor South
Africans a chance to lead a healthier - and more prosperous - life.
"Reg Park taught me a lot. He was also from a backyard gym. My dream
became to reach out to the disadvantaged communities," Masite told
Reuters, gesturing to a rubbish-strewn street in Johannesburg's
rundown Alexandra township, where men sit swigging beer and smoking
cigarettes.
"A lot of black people lack basic education about a healthy
lifestyle. Lots of people are not working. Ikasi Gym is here for the
people."
Masite still works out in the courtyard of his family home in
Alexandra, but much of the property has been converted into a
popular gym, packed with locals lifting weights, riding exercise
bikes and punching boxing bags. He's opened two more of his Ikasi
Gym branches and plans to expand further.
 His goal is to bring exercise to South Africans who can't afford $60
a month at upmarket chains. Masite's 350 members pay 100 rand
($6.45) a month.
Masite believes his business can succeed because townships are
tight, often neglected communities, and he can offer more than just
bodybuilding training and a place to work out.
Ikasi Gym is helping around 50 people recover from strokes. Masite
also trains young South Africans who have had run-ins with the law
or drug problems. Some of Ikasi's members have got jobs in security
since joining.
"We are about community. I stay with my members, we eat together, we
know each other. Sometimes I use money from my child's pocket to
help people," Masite says. COMMUNITY SPIRIT
Fitness is big business in South Africa. Richard Branson's Virgin
Active has more than 100 branches, and a cheaper version, Virgin
Active RED, opened in 2014, a sign of the market Masite hopes to
target.
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And Ikasi Gym is the sort of business President Jacob Zuma's
administration hopes will thrive. The government has set a goal of
helping small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) create 90 percent
of jobs by 2030.
South Africa, however, has one of the highest SME failure rates in
the world. Red tape, lack of access to finance and skills shortages
stifle entrepreneurship.
Masite and his colleagues feel they have been ignored by the ruling
African National Congress, even though the party will be relying on
the support of poor townships like Alexandra, where unemployment
runs at 25 percent and violent crime is rife.
"We need government to come and put hands into this gym and see how
we're doing good things for the community," said Ikasi's 35-year-old
boxing trainer, Richard Khunou, as dozens of children gather to
watch him sparring.
"Politicians tell you they will give you a better life but once they
get to a higher position ... they put money in their pockets and
forget about us."
($1 = 15.50 rand)
(Editing by Larry King)
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