Billionaire mining magnate Patrice Motsepe yesterday promised to help develop boxing in the Buffalo City Metro area as he handed over boxing equipment to 57 clubs.
Motsepe was in town to formally distribute the equipment which was bought from a R1-million donation he made to boxing stakeholders when donating funds to buy a prosthetic leg for Nomonde Tete, the mother of the Tete boxing brothers Makazole and Zolani.
At the June event last year in NU12, Motsepe was overwhelmed by the number of boxing champions called onto the stage and promptly donated the money to be used for the benefit of all boxing stakeholders in the region.
The money was used to buy equipment for 57 professional and amateur boxing clubs in the Buffalo City area including those based in rural areas.
Yesterday, Motsepe said the Motsepe Foundation had just launched a programme to help retired soccer players and suggested that boxers should also benefit.
“I want the local structures to work towards having retired boxers to be included in the programme,” he said to loud applause.
Touched by the generosity, Makazole, who gave the mining billionaire the new name of “Mntwabantu” (people’s person), was grateful that an event meant to help his mother had now spread to help the whole community.
“We promise you that even when you are gone your kids will one day say that Mdantsane has world champions because of the contribution you made,” he said.
Motsepe added that by producing 20 world champions Mdantsane was the only area that had influenced him to contribute towards unearthing other talent.
“This equipment will go a long way towards fulfilling that objective,” he said, adding that boxing should be rolled out to schools so that it would benefit from some of the programmes the Foundation had entered into with the education department.
Boxing SA-Eastern Cape manager Phakamile Jacobs, who headed the committee that facilitated the purchase of the equipment, promised to monitor the clubs to ensure the goods were properly used.
“We will make sure that this equipment is used for its intended purpose and is not sold,” he said.
Other dignitaries present included provincial sports MEC Pemmy Majodina and Buffalo City Metro mayor Alfred Mtsi who also thanked Motsepe for contributing towards boxing development in the region.
Motsepe’s million to benefit 57 boxing clubs
Motsepe was in town to formally distribute the equipment which was bought from a R1-million donation he made to boxing stakeholders when donating funds to buy a prosthetic leg for Nomonde Tete, the mother of the Tete boxing brothers Makazole and Zolani.
At the June event last year in NU12, Motsepe was overwhelmed by the number of boxing champions called onto the stage and promptly donated the money to be used for the benefit of all boxing stakeholders in the region.
The money was used to buy equipment for 57 professional and amateur boxing clubs in the Buffalo City area including those based in rural areas.
Yesterday, Motsepe said the Motsepe Foundation had just launched a programme to help retired soccer players and suggested that boxers should also benefit.
“I want the local structures to work towards having retired boxers to be included in the programme,” he said to loud applause.
Touched by the generosity, Makazole, who gave the mining billionaire the new name of “Mntwabantu” (people’s person), was grateful that an event meant to help his mother had now spread to help the whole community.
“We promise you that even when you are gone your kids will one day say that Mdantsane has world champions because of the contribution you made,” he said.
Motsepe added that by producing 20 world champions Mdantsane was the only area that had influenced him to contribute towards unearthing other talent.
“This equipment will go a long way towards fulfilling that objective,” he said, adding that boxing should be rolled out to schools so that it would benefit from some of the programmes the Foundation had entered into with the education department.
Boxing SA-Eastern Cape manager Phakamile Jacobs, who headed the committee that facilitated the purchase of the equipment, promised to monitor the clubs to ensure the goods were properly used.
“We will make sure that this equipment is used for its intended purpose and is not sold,” he said.
Other dignitaries present included provincial sports MEC Pemmy Majodina and Buffalo City Metro mayor Alfred Mtsi who also thanked Motsepe for contributing towards boxing development in the region.
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