These grannies are punching their way to better health and having a ball doing it

The blows rain down on punching bags as sweat pours down faces and laughter and chatter fills the air. 

A boxing gym isn’t where you often see people having fun – pummelling bags and opponents is usually serious business. But this is no ordinary group of boxers: this bunch is made up of 20 older women working up a sweat at the GogoBox class at Sandton’s Slow Poison Boxing Gym.

And the aim of the game is to have a good time while improving their health and fitness. These gogos from Alexandra in Johannesburg are led by the gym’s owner, retired boxer Mbulelo Transvaal (42), and instructor Lubabalo Mooi (42).