Former South African boxer and three-time world champion the late Dingaan Thobela, has been described by many as a man with a good heart and philanthropist outside the ring.
The 57-year-old Thobela was remembered and celebrated at a memorial service held in Johannesburg earlier on Tuesday. Thobela passed away last week in Johannesburg after battling an unconfirmed illness.
The boxing family in South Africa gave a fitting tribute to Thobela.
Family, neighbours, friends, former boxers and administrators came in numbers to celebrate his life.
Former boxers Jan Bergman, Ditau Molefyane, Brian Mitchell, Nika Khumalo and Isaac Hlatshwayo were also part of the memorial service.
Thobela united the nation when he won his three world titles, in three different weight divisions. He held the WBO lightweight title from 1990 to 1992, then held the WBA lightweight title, before winning the more prestigious WBC super-middleweight title back in the year 2000.
“I just want to say thank you, and thanks to all of you who supported us from the very first day. We were devastated trying to collect things and put them together and that makes me feel much better to see people around us as the Thobela family,” says Bongani Thobela, Dingaan’s brother.
Thobela’s children also paid tribute to their father and promised to carry his legacy forward.
“He displayed enduring patience, steadfastness, compassion, calmness, authority, confidence, moral correctness, extra-ordinary energy and ability, compelled with total dedication that he puts his hands on,” says Elton Thobela, Dingaan’s son.
Boxing South Africa says the current crop of boxers can learn a lot from Thobela’s dedication.
“Indeed it is a very sad moment for the boxing fraternity, for the Thobela family and all those that were close to the champion, however, we saying today let us celebrate his life, let us celebrate what he has done for the country, let us celebrate what he has done for the continent because Dingaan Thobela indeed being a three time world champion for credible world champions WBA, WBO, and WBC. I believe indeed the continent was proud to have a boxer in the name of Dingaan ‘The Rose of Soweto’ Thobela,” says Mandla Ntlanganiso, BSA accounting authority.
Thobela has been described by many as being one of the best boxers to be produced in South Africa. He was also highly involved in communities through various projects.
“Sadly, he is not only a three-time world champion, and three of the big four WBC, WBA, and WBO, he’s a legendary person you know, and I think the youngsters today must remember the name Dingaan ‘The Rose of Soweto’ Thobela because he’s legendary. I would say if you talked about South Africa’s greatest fighters of all time, he’s got to be in the top ten in anybody’s top ten. So yeah, rest in peace to the big man Dingaan Thobela who was a great world champion,” says Brian Mitchell, former boxing champion.
“I rather talk about Dingaan as I know him, as I knew him and I just want to say his modesty, he was unaffected, we were always available if you wanted him, and always well spoken, soft spoken. I never ever heard him say a bad word about anyone and I will remember him for his boxing because of my promotion. But I will remember him as a human being probably more,” says Rodney Berman, boxing promoter.
Thobela’s funeral service will be held at the Dlamini Multipurpose Hall in Soweto on Thursday morning. He will be laid to rest at the West Park Cemetery in Johannesburg.
Video: Memorial service held for Dingaan “The Rose of Soweto” Thobela
