‘Built by discipline, fuelled by passion’

From the running tracks of Tholoku­hle High School to managing group exercise sessions at one of today’s buzzing gyms, Vika Mkhize’s fitness jour­ney is one built on consistency, passion and purpose.

Mkhize’s love for fitness began during his school days, where he was an active middle-distance runner and deeply involved in sport. “Sport was part of my everyday life,” he recalled. “Running taught me disci­pline and mental strength at a very young age.” After Matric, he took his passion further by studying Sport Management at Boston City Campus, where he obtained a diploma that helped shape his professional direction.

Aerobics soon became his big­gest passion. In 2011, Mkhize joined Virgin Active Richards Bay as a fitness instructor, a role that allowed him to inspire others while growing his own skills. His journey continued at ZAC Mine in Ulundi, where he worked as an aerobics in­structor, helping employees use exercise as a tool for bet­ter health and stress relief.

In 2015, he took a bold step and opened his own company, Vika Sport Management, where he focused on promoting aerobics and active living within the community. Today, he works at CafeGym as a Group Exercise Manager. He is a qualified personal trainer and group exercise instructor and is currently studying Sport Conditioning.

What keeps him going is the way fitness transforms lives. “When you exercise, you live longer, your daily energy increases and your confidence grows,” he said. “You always feel good. When you are fit, it becomes hard to be sick.” He also cred­its exercise for helping him manage stress, anxiety and depression.

His training includes functional train­ing, boxing, bootcamp and grid work­outs, all designed to improve strength, endurance and overall fitness. While he does not follow a strict diet, he be­lieves in balanced eating to support training and recovery.

Asked how he stays consistent, Mkhize says: “Discipline is my se­cret. Motivation comes and goes, but discipline keeps you moving.” After two decades in fitness, many still guess his age. The answer may surprise you. Vika Mkhize is 39 years old.