Khotso Mokoena takes on new leadership position in Africa

Mokoena is currently also the SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee’s (SASCOC) Athlete’s Commission Chairperson. 

He has told SABC Sport he is excited about the new challenge and wants to be the voice of athletes for Zone 6 region countries – South Africa, Zambia, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Eswatini, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Mozambique, and Zambia.

"Ja, I got elected to sit on the Athlete's Commission for ANOCA, so I'm really super-chuffed because, you know, just sitting on that commission is another experience for me," said Mokoena.

"Just like when I first sat on the Athlete's Commission of SASCOC, that was an experience, and then later I became the chairperson of the SASCOC Athlete's Commission.

"So, this is the same route for me, I'm sitting on the commission to serve as a voice for athletes in Africa, especially in our region – Zone 6, so that we can help all other athletes commission from our zone."

Mokoena, who retired in January 2022, wants to help athletes plan for life after retirement and already started the Athletes Indaba to assist those with education and life skills.

"What's important for me is to have a voice on the leadership of helping all the chairpersons of the Zone 6 athlete's commissions to have leadership skills as well as implementing life after sports [programmes], which is something I've always spoken about and we've already started doing that at home [in South Africa]," he added.

"But this is something I want for all the African athletes as well, to have a career path – a pathway for life after sports, while they are still active.

"Sometimes athletes feel when they are competing they don't want to do anything else, they feel like when they do something else their focus might go away from performing in the field.

"But I can assure you that the focus will not go away, instead it will give them the ability to stretch themselves to do something different as well, to be able to do more, so that when they stop they can do more. So, it's very important for me that we look at the career paths of African athletes."