In a world obsessed with fitness influencers, smart workout tech, and the latest wellness trends, David Isaacs, from Heideveld, comes from an era when pull-ups on tree branches, homemade weights, and hauling heavy loads were all part of a day’s workout.
An accomplished bodybuilder who once shared the stage with Arnold Schwarzenegger, Isaacs recently celebrated his 88th birthday and is widely regarded as one of the sport’s great ambassadors.
Crowned WP champion 13 times between 1962 and 1975, a multiple Mr SA title holder, and a participant in numerous international championships, including a fourth-place finish at the Mr Universe competition in London in 1969, Isaacs has built a legacy that continues to inspire.
He still wakes up every day and makes his way to the community gym he runs at Cape Town College’s Crawford campus on Kromboom Road.
Born in 1938 and raised in Newlands when the area was still semi-rural, Isaacs worked at the Cape Times for 40 years as a clerical worker and freelance photographer covering community sport.
As South Africa marks Youth Month and prepares to commemorate Youth Day on June 16, Isaacs’ story serves as a powerful reminder that determination, discipline, and courage can overcome even the toughest obstacles. The young athletes who lined up on the stage at a bodybuilding show bearing his name, at Cedars High School, in Rocklands, on Saturday, follow in the footsteps of a man who refused to let apartheid-era restrictions define his future.
Few could have predicted that the wiry youngster who won his first title at the Woodstock Town Hall would one day stand alongside some of the biggest names in world bodybuilding.
Although not a political activist in the conventional sense, Isaacs and his peers challenged the system through sport, pursuing excellence at a time when racial segregation denied him and other non-white athletes equal opportunities to train and compete, says those who know him well. Through bodybuilding, they say, he became a quiet freedom fighter whose legacy continues to inspire new generations to dream bigger, work harder, and rise above adversity.
“If you look at the era in which he competed, apartheid was at its height, but that did not stop him from competing internationally,” said his good friend Baradien “Buddy” Slamdien, an executive member of the Western Province Natural Bodybuilding Federation (WPNBF), organisers of Saturday’s David Isaacs Classic at Cedar High School. “To me, he was a freedom fighter in his own way.”
Slamdien has known him since the early 2000s and, like many others, has always looked up to him as a mentor, role model, and living testament to the values of discipline, perseverance, and humility.
“If it were not for him, I could have ended up on the dark side of bodybuilding,” he said, alluding to the temptation of steroids and other performance-enhancing substances often linked to competitive bodybuilding.
Francois Cleophas, associate Professor and senior lecturer in Sports History at Stellenbosch University, has researched and written extensively about the role of sport during the liberation struggle in South Africa. His book, Critical Reflections on Physical Culture at the Edges of Empire, takes a deep dive into the history of multi-racial sport, with a chapter dedicated to Isaacs and the WPNBF – an organisation historically linked to the non-racial sports movement.
Asked whether the 88-year-old remains relevant in contemporary South Africa, his response was unequivocal.
“Very much so,” said Cleophas. “The youth of today need to question social inequalities in the same way that David Isaacs once challenged racial inequalities.”
“He was a SACOS sportsperson,” said Cleophas, referring to the former anti-apartheid sports movement that championed non-racial sport and played a pivotal role in South Africa’s international sporting isolation. “He turned down offers from multi-national companies and, to this day, remains committed to drug-free sport.”
Former WBNBF head judge Lolene Lawrence, a qualified international bodybuilding judge and the first female president of both the provincial federation and the South African National Bodybuilding Association (SANBA) in over 70 years, worked closely with Isaacs for many years and developed a deep appreciation for both his accomplishments and his role as a mentor to generations of athletes.
“He is one of the pioneers of natural bodybuilding in the Western Cape,” she said.
“He built a strong community through his gym, mentored countless athletes, and contributed to shaping the culture of natural bodybuilding long before it became formally structured,” she said.
“David and his peers competed during a time when access, recognition, and resources were extremely limited for athletes of colour. They overcame those challenges through unity, resourcefulness, courage, and a passion stronger than the barriers placed before them, showing up in spaces where they were not always welcomed,” she said.
Western Province Development Officer and South African interim coach Cherzeley Zyster, himself an accomplished bodybuilder, first heard about Isaacs more than 50 years ago, but only met him about 30 years ago. Both were honoured by the Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport in 2021 for their respective contributions to the development of the sport.
“He used bodybuilding to inspire many young people on the Cape Flats. One lesson I’ve learnt from him is that it’s not where one comes from that defines us, but what we do with where we come from and what we want to be in life,” Zyster said.
“His motto was: ‘Dress up, step up, and never give up.’ And to do the best with what you’ve got.”
And that’s exactly what Isaacs did – going from that wiry youngster from Newlands who won his first title at Woodstock Town Hall to standing shoulder to shoulder with the world’s best bodybuilders.
When asked what advice he would give those starting, he said: “Stay dedicated, be patient, train consistently, and never give up on your goals.”
The secret to staying fit and healthy?
“Regular exercise, a balanced diet, enough rest, and a positive mindset,” he said.
