The first female boxing promoter in the country, Gladys “Noforty” Tsenene has been buried in Motherwell in Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape.
The 78-year-old philanthropist died last Sunday after a long illness.
Mourners came from different sporting codes. Those who came from the boxing fraternity include referee Mthunzi Mapitiza, former boxer and referee Ace Makaluza as well as promoter Mbali Zantsi.
Tsenene got her promoter’s licence in 1995. Former boxing trainer and promoter “Toast Mali, has fond memories of her.
“She set the trend as she is the first woman to promote boxing in our region and we applaud her for that.”
Former South African junior flyweight champion and the first boxer from the Nelson Mandela Metro to fight for a world title, Vuyani Nene, also attended the service.
“We were still young when she started boxing we know her very well that is why i came to pay my respect for her.”
The late Tsenene also played an important role in amateur boxing. Mazizi Vumazonke, from Nelson Mandela Bay Boxing, explains
“As the first woman promoter in the country, she is the foundation. She is the one who encouraged the female boxers that we see today… She was the one person who as amateurs we could go to and say mama we are short of this and that can you please assist.”
Watch as the boxing fraternity mourns the death of SA’s first female promoter:
