From surviving TB and HIV to losing his hearing and rebuilding his life through fitness, Bonginkosi Magubane’s story is one of resilience, courage, and finding strength through every challenge.
Strength, Resilience and a New Lease on Life
There is a quiet strength about Bonginkosi Magubane. The kind of strength that is not loud or boastful, but deeply rooted in resilience, gratitude and perseverance.
At 60 years old, Bonginkosi from Eshowe, KZN, carries a story filled with hardship, humour, heartbreak and triumph. Through every chapter of his life, he has continued to move forward with determination and grace.
Finding Strength Through Fitness
Bonginkosi’s fitness journey began unexpectedly while working on a 23 month contract at a local clinic. Near the clinic was a gym hall, and during lunch breaks he would quietly sneak in, curious about what it felt like to be part of the gym community.
What started as curiosity slowly became a life changing passion.
“At first it was painful,” he says. “My muscles were always stiff and my joints gave me endless pain. Ice cubes and rubbing ointment became my best friends.”
Despite the physical discomfort, he kept showing up. Day after day, workout after workout, the gym became more than just exercise. It became therapy, healing and purpose.
“The only bad workout is the one that didn’t happen,” Bonginkosi says with a smile. “Your mindset can stand almost anything. It’s your mind that you have to convince.”
His personal motto reflects that determination perfectly:
“Sweat today, shine tomorrow.”
A Journey Marked by Loss and Survival
Long before the gym became part of his life, Bonginkosi had already faced extraordinary challenges.
Raised by a loving grandmother alongside his cousin, he grew up in difficult circumstances while their mothers worked away from home doing domestic work. His grandmother sold fruits and vegetables at the local market to provide for the family. Her resilience left a lasting impression on him. “She was a woman of courage,” he remembers. “Even on Sundays after church she would sell fruits and vegetables, and somehow still give so much to others.”
Life eventually took Bonginkosi from rural life to Durban, where he pursued his education and later tertiary studies. But financial pressures and the demands of his photography course became overwhelming.
Then came the most difficult chapter of all
In 2007, Bonginkosi was diagnosed with both TB and HIV. His CD4 count had dropped to just 9. “It was touch and go,” he recalls. During treatment for TB, he was placed on streptomycin injections, medication that would later permanently affect his hearing. “When I realised I had gone deaf, it was traumatic and emotional.”
Doctors later confirmed severe damage to his cochlear membrane and identified him as a candidate for a cochlear implant. Although his life changed dramatically after losing his hearing, Bonginkosi refused to allow his circumstances to define him.
Living Beyond Disability
Being deaf in spaces dominated by young, hearing people brought many challenges. “The communication barrier is still there,” he explains. “But there are still good people out there.” He speaks warmly about the people who supported him along the way, especially colleagues who treated him with dignity, kindness and respect.
One person who left a lasting impact was Mrs Ngema, a senior colleague at the clinic. “She was always concerned about my health. Even after returning from leave, the first thing she asked was whether I was okay. For me, that felt like the warmest hug.”
Despite his disability, Bonginkosi proved himself to be versatile, hardworking and dependable in every role he was given. His humour also shines through in the stories he tells, like the time he spent an entire day searching for a patient’s file, only to discover the patient had long since passed away. “It happens,” he laughs. “Those are the things we encountered.”
A New Lease on Life
Today, Bonginkosi says the gym has transformed not only his physical health, but his mental wellbeing too. He no longer suffers from constant cramps. He sleeps peacefully through the night. The nagging illnesses that once weighed him down have faded. “At 60, I feel younger,” he says proudly. Exercise has helped restore his confidence, energy and outlook on life. “I no longer get sick or tired like before. Even my clothes fit the way I want them to,” he jokes. “I’m rejuvenated.”
Most importantly, Bonginkosi has found joy again. Through every challenge, poverty, illness, disability and loss, he continues to choose gratitude. “My life has always been a true reflection of gratitude,” he says.
And perhaps that is what makes his story so inspiring. Not because life was easy. But because he never stopped fighting for it.
Article by YEI
