The apartheid regime robbed South African boxer Norman Pangaman Sekgapane of becoming a world champion. This is according to mourners at his funeral service on Saturday morning.
He has been laid to rest at his family home in Magokgwane, near Mahikeng.
It was a befitting farewell for an unsung legend. But to his family, he has always been the best of the best.
His son, Thabo Sekgapane says: “I’ll remember my father as a loving parent. a parent who appreciated life. a parent who when one of his kids achieved something , you’d even see him crying in one eye to show that he appreciated the achievement that whoever child has achieved.”
Friends reminisced about growing up with Sekgapane. His childhood friend, Bibi Kgokong says: “Sometimes when we were in the field herding, he’d join his cattle with mine, go somewhere and made me look after all the cows the whole day. and then later when we went home , he’d lead his cows home and pretended to have been with me the whole day.”
Sekgapane found his way to world stages against all odds. Bringing honour and pride to this small village of Magokgwane.
Boxing SA Chairperson Dr Peter Ngatane says: “It was unfortunate that Mr Sekgapane became a boxer when apartheid was still in full swing. so being a very good boxer, he did not have the opportunity to represent the country as an Olympian, as a commonwealth champion or as a world champion.”
