The CAPE NINJUTSU FEDERATION (CNF) has been established in 1988 by Sensei Chris Engels, at that time a, 2nd Dan Koga-Ryu Ninjutsu instructor, and a descendant of the South African Ninjutsu Federation which at that time, was directed by Master Barry Pictor, whom had carried the title of Shihan at 6th Dan level and headed the Black Dragon Fighting Society in South Africa and representing the "DAN TE' system of the late Count Juan Raphael Dante (real name "John Timothy Keehan" - 1939-1975).

Due to work related obligations my sensei Chris Engels had to leave Cape Town, by which Paul W Bothma and Dawie de Villiers were left to carry forth the training schedule of the Cape Ninjutsu federation.
Although instructing under the same name, Dawie and Paul kept a territorial distance. From 1988 -1990 the CNF was still under construction and finding common ground, Paul Bothma rejoined the SANF, which was then directed by Adrian Fitzgerald (at that stage a 3rd Dan Koga-Ryu Ninjutsu instructor). During this time Paul Bothma was promoted to 2nd Dan by Adrian and his panel of judges of the SANF (South African Ninjutsu Federation).

At the end of year 2000, Paul Bothma again broke all ties with the SANF and carried forth with his own school, once again using the name Cape Ninjutsu Federation.
Up until today, Paul Bothma has opened schools in Parow, Paarl and in Rondebosch.

During the year of 2002 in the month of January, Shihan Paul Bothma again hooked up with the Black Dragon Fighting Society, currently run in South Africa by Soke Stoffel Van Vuuren So doing Paul Bothma was graded on (2002/06/30) to his 4th Dan in Koga Hai Lung Ninjutsu.

On the 15th of December 2002 Sensei Paul Bothma was granted the title of Renshi by Shihan Stoffel van Vuuren 10th Dan Koga Hai Lung Ninjutsu, Ph.D.

On the 15th of December 2002, Soke Stoffel Van Vuuren 10th Dan Koga Hai lung Ninjutsu, Ph.D. granted Paul Bothma a 1st Degree, Yodansha title in the martial art form of Small-Circle Ju-Jutsu.

On 12 June 2004 Paul Bothma received his 5 th Dan and was granted the title of Shihan by Soke Stoffel Van Vuuren in the Martial Art of Koga-Ryu Ninjutsu.

To date, Shihan Paul Bothma has broken all ties with the BDFS - Black Dragon Fighting Society and is running his own domain but is carrying on and teaching the "DAN TE" system.

Paul W Bothma is however a member of the "KOGA RYU NINJUTSU SOCIETY"), not by lineage but by affiliation only.

 

NOTE:- DOJO POLITICS:

To all interested students whom wish to join our federation to please make sure of the reasons why you want to enter or train using my style. As it is you may do one class free in order to see if you are going to do something that would suite you. The techniques you'll be learning is based on the art of ninjutsu and also my own input of techniques which I have created over years of teaching experiences.

Hence there at this day and age there is always a dispute over what style is being taught, is it "KOGA" or is it "IGA" what is to be known is that "KOGA and IGA" are regions in Japan and therefore one type of technique could be the same as the other with slight differences, apart from small secret techniques kept only for certain students, the basis however might be the same. Ninjutsu fighting skills are basically borrowed from various other martial art styles and then formed and adapted to suite the stealthy moves of the ninjutsu practitioner. For the untrained student the moves of the ninjutsu practitioner looks highly lethal and very skillfully, yet other styles use the same it's the way of application that causes the difference, there however is no such thing as a "ninja move" only a skillfully stealthy sneaky move.

The basic differences is that the "IGA" schools tend to keep there style very traditional, whereas the "KOGA" continuously learn and adapt knew techniques taken from other styles. In my federation I follow the principles of the Koga ninja while adopting the basic structure and foundation practiced by the Iga, for I have found that the one compliments the other. an

In the event of back-tracking or trying to find who trained who has always been a problem, for the further you back-track in finding lineage the more vague it becomes, no correct answers ever become. As far as I know my instructors were great teachers and if it would appear that further back there is no knowledge of whom trained who, there surely would be a good reason as to why the information is withheld.The first thing that everybody always wants to think is that the instructors are frauds and money makers, the fact that Ashida Kim does not want to reveal his true instructors name is of no concern to anybody, it is the techniques and the way of training that matters after all. So if you are looking for lineages then don't bother with my school, and if you are looking for a good self-defense school based on authentic ninjutsu techniques then you'll be knocking on the right door.

After visiting my dojo and before listing up, do yourself a great favor and search for ninjutsu techniques and compare to what you see at my dojo, only then decide if you want to join us.

Reference to my instructors are to be seen on the topic "HISTORY IN SOUTH AFRICA".

PS. Don't follow ghosts, follow the techniques and methods taught by the living and your chosen instructor in front of you!

NOTE:

AS FROM JANUARY 2007 WE SHALL BE KNOWN AS THE CAPE NINJUTSU FEDERATION PRACTICING "HAKKO KAI NINJUTSU" meaning (WHITE TIGER NINJA SCHOOL).

This name founded by myself as I was born in the year of the tiger and have a personal attraction to white tigers and of course the fact that i'm practicing the principles of ninjutsu, it must be noted that there are no linkage to any other similar schools or styles. A lot of my own input has been added to the training and therefore has earned the right to change.