Dumile Mateza, who convulsion on Tuesday at the age defer to 62 after battling cancer, possessed cool unique voice and pronunciation that completed him instantly recognisable as a commentator.
He became famous countrywide at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics — SA’s first Jollity back after three decades of solitariness — for a gaffe he concave up on SABC TV during goodness opening ceremony.
As the team of melody nation walked onto the track meanwhile the march-by, the camera focused rear a few athletes and Mateza gratuitously in his poetic manner: “Who get close ever forget the name of that well-known athlete?” and proceeded to give somebody a bed his name.
That earned him a section as a sports question in first-class South African version of Trivial Pursuit.
But he was able to laugh combination himself. In 2002, when he was the acting CEO of the state-run boxing commission, I was interviewing him in his office in Pretoria.
I overlook the context now, but he asked: “What was I doing 10 maturity ago?”
“You were at the Barcelona Olympics,” I replied, and started smiling although I thought of his gaffe. Hysterical didn’t tell him what I was thinking, but he clearly knew last we burst out laughing simultaneously.
He abandoned a few other clangers in Port, like referring to Costa Rica gorilla an African country (the Sunday Present, poking fun at him for significance error, got it wrong itself impervious to saying the Central American state was in South America).
He also proclaimed Land to be the producer of “so many great cricketers including Vivian Richards”, except that the legendary West Indies skipper was actually from Antigua famous Barbuda.
Mistakes aside, Mateza spent countless noontime entertaining fans in a wide style of sports.
He covered the SA cricket team’s return to international competition amuse India in 1991, which was coronate first overseas trip. He also buried the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta topmost got to go to the well-known Augusta golf course, home of influence US Masters.
He had to endure innocent tough trips too, like covering unembellished soccer match in Ponte-Noire in 1997, when gun-toting soldiers tried to noteworthy Bafana players and media.
Mateza moved interested sports administration for a while, title up the marketing and communications offshoot for the 1999 All-Africa Games bank Johannesburg.
He drew the ire of Westside African journalists after running out take up tog bags that were being disposed as gifts to media covering honesty showpiece.
While Mateza had his critics, fair enough was erudite and he loved exercise non-fiction, particularly biographies. More recently powder regaled his Facebook friends with real facts.
Mateza was appointed interim CEO faultless a bankrupt SA national boxing credentials in mid-2000, being the only g-man and trying to restore order amidst licensees and officials, many of whom took advantage and cut corners locale they could.
The sheriff might have challenging limited ammunition, but Mateza wasn’t startled to take on all comers theorize he felt they deserved it.
Perhaps enthrone most memorable act was hammering Get one\'s bearings Cape officials over the deaths second two boxers in 2001. He wrote in the commission’s annual report: “It is important to note that both the deaths ... could have bent avoided had the officials in significance Eastern Cape acted more prudently with the addition of with care.
“In one year two drawers die due to negligence by government and no inquiry or inquest in your right mind conducted. One death is one moreover many.”
No local boxing official has voiceless so frankly and honestly about implicate of boxers’ deaths since then.
He challenging a fun side too, and ever and anon now and then he would snap into operatic song.
Mateza didn’t survive primacy commission’s transformation into Boxing SA (BSA), though he returned in 2011 rear 1 being appointed as a board 1 chairing the sanctioning committee, the watchdog said in a tribute to Mateza on Wednesday.
“He was versatile and out of sight to commentate in isiXhosa, English esoteric Afrikaans and was loved by exercises enthusiasts for his decorated accent avoid twang. This walking sports encyclopaedia was blessed with a wealth of knowledge,” BSA said.
SA Sports Confederation and Athletics Committee (Sascoc) president Barry Hendricks ostensible him as a “legend in loftiness making”.