Shihan Collen Sedoaba was born in Kwa Thema near Springs in the Eastrand in 1962. He started Kyokushin karate in 1975 when his classmate Lottie Thage introduced him to his legendary brother Peter ‘Poison’ Thage (then Sensei) who taught him kyokushin karate at the famous DH Hall Dojo in Katlehong.In 1985, together with his friend Leonard Nketsi, they graded for shodan in Durban under Shihan A.K. Ismail and Sensei Peter Thage. When Shihan Thage stopped instructing he teamed up with Leonard Nketsi to form a local karate association. They later joined forces with Sensei Steven Helm. In April of 1990, they visited Cape Town and tested for their nidan under the watchful gaze of Shihan Len Barnes, the founder of Kyokushin Karate in South Africa.
In 1991, he joined Shihan Kenny Uytenbogaardt and for many years served on the National Committee. In July of 1997, he was graded to Sandan. For many years he advocated for transformation and empowerment and in 2001 was tested for yondan by a panel comprising of Shihandai Uytenbogaardt, Trevor Tockar & Hennie Bosman.
In January of 2003, when he was approached by the newly appointed Chairman of Kyokushin-Kan Africa, Shihan Hennie Bosman, he joined the Kyokushin Kan group and was appointed Branch Chief of South Africa and graded to fifth Dan by the IKO Chairman Kancho Hatsuo Royama. At the same time, he was awarded branch chief status for South Africa. He is grateful to Kancho Hatsuo Royama for his commitment to the development of Kyokushin-kan karate as propagated by the late Sosai Oyama.
