Slenda Sithebe

Slenda Sithebe is one of the most inspiring late-bloomers in South African golf.

Born in 1975, he only discovered the game as an adult while washing taxis in Newcastle, when a friend invited him to the course and he was instantly hooked. From there he climbed the amateur ranks in KwaZulu-Natal before honing his skills at the Gavan Levenson Golf Academy at Glendower, combining his own playing ambitions with a passion for coaching and growing the game in township and township-adjacent communities.

In 2025, at the age of 49, Sithebe made headlines by winning the Vusi Ngubeni Q-School Tournament at Soweto Country Club, putting together a remarkable six-birdie run on the back nine to secure victory and reclaim his Sunshine Tour card for the 2025–26 season.

His story—from taxi rank to tour professional—captures the heart of what modern South African golf and the Sunshine Legends vision are about: opportunity, perseverance and using the game as a vehicle to uplift others.