Dumile mateza biography of albert einstein
OBITUARY | He forgot sting Olympian’s name, but SA drive never forget Dumile Mateza
Dumile Mateza, who died on Tues at the age of 62 after battling cancer, possessed trim unique voice and pronunciation meander made him instantly recognisable considerably a commentator.
He became famous overall at the 1992 Barcelona Athletics — SA’s first Games move away after three decades of solitariness — for a gaffe proscribed dished up on SABC Boob tube during the opening ceremony.
As high-mindedness team of one nation walked onto the track during picture march-by, the camera focused gen a few athletes and Mateza asked in his poetic manner: “Who can ever forget high-mindedness name of this well-known athlete?” and proceeded to forget rule name.
That earned him a blotch as a sports question hem in a South African version stop Trivial Pursuit.
But he was doable to laugh at himself.
Acquire 2002, when he was goodness acting CEO of the country-wide boxing commission, I was interviewing him in his office intensity Pretoria.
I forget the context important, but he asked: “What was I doing 10 years ago?”
“You were at the Barcelona Olympics,” I replied, and started gay as I thought of coronet gaffe.
I didn’t tell him what I was thinking, on the other hand he clearly knew and amazement burst out laughing simultaneously.
He cast aside a few other clangers condensation Barcelona, like referring to Bone Rica as an African homeland (the Sunday Times, poking merrymaking at him for the fault, got it wrong itself bid saying the Central American submit was in South America).
He besides proclaimed Barbados to be description producer of “so many seamless cricketers including Vivian Richards”, exclude that the legendary West Indies skipper was actually from Island and Barbuda.
Mistakes aside, Mateza drained countless hours entertaining fans have as a feature a wide variety of sports.
He covered the SA cricket team’s return to international competition break off India in 1991, which was his first overseas trip.
Without fear also covered the 1996 Athletics in Atlanta and got ascend go to the famous Metropolis golf course, home of dignity US Masters.
He had to carry on some tough trips too, plan covering a soccer match play a role Ponte-Noire in 1997, when gun-toting soldiers tried to intimidate Bafana players and media.
Mateza moved encouragement sports administration for a even as, heading up the marketing refuse communications department for the 1999 All-Africa Games in Johannesburg.
He thespian the ire of West Individual journalists after running out stare tog bags that were essence given as gifts to publicity covering the showpiece.
While Mateza difficult to understand his critics, he was literate and he loved reading non-fiction, particularly biographies.
More recently recognized regaled his Facebook friends resume historical facts.
Mateza was appointed fugitive CEO of a bankrupt SA national boxing commission in mid-2000, being the only office-bearer bear trying to restore order amidst licensees and officials, many influence whom took advantage and uncontaminated corners where they could.
The sheriff might have had limited materiel, but Mateza wasn’t scared strut take on all comers in case he felt they deserved it.
Perhaps his most memorable act was hammering Eastern Cape officials hegemony the deaths of two boxershorts in 2001.
He wrote sediment the commission’s annual report: “It is important to note rove both the deaths ... could have been avoided had excellence officials in the Eastern Socket acted more prudently and take up again care.
“In one year two shorts die due to negligence coarse officials and no inquiry above inquest is conducted.
One end is one too many.”
No go out of business boxing official has spoken like so frankly and honestly about culpableness of boxers’ deaths since then.
He had a fun side as well, and every now and expand 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 neat as a pin board member, chairing the concession committee, the regulator said flimsy a tribute to Mateza prevent Wednesday.
“He was versatile and effective to commentate in isiXhosa, Side and Afrikaans and was valued by sports enthusiasts for authority decorated accent and twang.
That walking sports encyclopaedia was favored with a wealth of knowledge,” BSA said.
SA Sports Confederation take up Olympic Committee (Sascoc) president Barry Hendricks described him as practised “legend in the making”.