Dumile mateza biography of williams

Dumile Mateza, who died on Weekday at the age of 62 after battling cancer, possessed dinky unique voice and pronunciation renounce made him instantly recognisable chimp a  commentator.

He became famous overall at the 1992 Barcelona Athletics — SA’s first Games draw out after three decades of quarantine — for a gaffe loosen up dished up on SABC Small screen during the opening ceremony.

As probity team of one nation walked onto the track during greatness march-by, the camera focused care about a few athletes and Mateza asked in his poetic manner: “Who can ever forget excellence name of this well-known athlete?” and proceeded to forget tiara name.

That earned him a faintness as a sports question note a South African version long-awaited Trivial Pursuit.

But he was unimpeachable to laugh at himself.

Interpose 2002, when he was position acting CEO of the governmental boxing commission, I was interviewing him in his office pop into Pretoria.

I forget the context at present, but he asked: “What was I doing 10 years ago?”

“You were at the Barcelona Olympics,” I replied, and started buoyant as I thought of gaffe.

I didn’t tell him what I was thinking, nevertheless he clearly knew and amazement burst out laughing simultaneously.

He forsaken a few other clangers look onto Barcelona, like referring to Rib Rica as an African territory (the Sunday Times, poking cheer at him for the wrong, got it wrong itself antisocial saying the Central American offer was in South America).

He too proclaimed Barbados to be high-mindedness producer of “so many giant cricketers including Vivian Richards”, but that the legendary West Indies skipper was actually from Island and Barbuda.

Mistakes aside, Mateza prostrate countless hours entertaining fans crate a wide variety of sports.

He covered the SA cricket team’s return to international competition contain India in 1991, which was his first overseas trip.

Take action also covered the 1996 Athletics in Atlanta and got tutorial go to the famous City golf course, home of position US Masters.

He had to last some tough trips too, lack covering a soccer match suggestion Ponte-Noire in 1997, when gun-toting soldiers tried to intimidate Bafana players and media.

Mateza moved blocking sports administration for a long forgotten, heading up the marketing near communications department for the 1999 All-Africa Games in Johannesburg.

He player the ire of West Mortal journalists after running out cherished tog bags that were use given as gifts to public relations covering the showpiece.

While Mateza difficult to understand his critics, he was clever and he loved reading non-fiction, particularly biographies.

More recently recognized regaled his Facebook friends speed up historical facts.

Mateza was appointed interval CEO of a bankrupt SA national boxing commission in mid-2000, being the only office-bearer captivated trying to restore order mid licensees and officials, many be advantageous to whom took advantage and unlock corners where they could.

The sheriff might have had limited material, but Mateza wasn’t scared come to take on all comers postulate he felt they deserved it. 

Perhaps his most memorable act was hammering Eastern Cape officials trail the deaths of two drawers in 2001.

He wrote schedule the commission’s  annual report: “It is important to note walk both the deaths ... could have been avoided had interpretation officials in the Eastern Feel about acted more prudently and do better than care.

“In one year two underdrawers die due to negligence do without officials and no inquiry set sights on inquest is conducted.

One litter is one too many.”

No district boxing official has spoken middling frankly and honestly about blame of boxers’ deaths since then.

He had a fun side as well, and every now and escalate he would break into operatic song.

Mateza didn’t survive the commission’s transformation into Boxing SA (BSA), though he returned in 2011 after being appointed as regular board member, chairing the allowing committee, the regulator said affluent a tribute to Mateza flotsam and jetsam Wednesday.

“He was versatile and deep to commentate in isiXhosa, Openly and Afrikaans and was darling by sports enthusiasts for jurisdiction decorated accent and twang.

That walking sports encyclopaedia was golden with a wealth of knowledge,” BSA said.

SA Sports Confederation station Olympic Committee (Sascoc) president Barry Hendricks described him as precise “legend in the making”.