Popular radio presenter Putco Mafani said he was delighted to contribute indirectly towards boxing development in the Buffalo City region.
Mafani was speaking after billionaire mining magnate Patrice Motsepe formally distributed boxing equipment bought from his R1-million donation to boxing stakeholders last year in June.
It was through Mafani’s creativity when as a programme director, he inspired Motsepe to make the donation after he had introduced current and former world boxing champions to the function meant to hand over funds for the purchase of a prosthetic leg for Nomonde Tete, who is the mother of boxers Zolani and Makazole.
Mafani told Motsepe that he should feel honoured to be in the same hall with so many boxing champions for the first time.
Touched by the occasion, the mining magnate grabbed the microphone and made the impromptu donation.
On Tuesday, Mafani was again directing the programme as Motsepe handed over the equipment to 57 professional and amateur boxing clubs in the region.
Speaking to the Daily Dispatch, Mafani said he was delighted that he had played a role in changing the lives of boxers in the region.
“Firstly, I was not mandated to do what I did so I am not looking to gain anything or that sort of thing,” he said.
“But I would be lying if I said I did not have mixed emotions when I saw my creativity paying dividends for other people. This was not an outright sponsorship transaction mandate but I managed to get into Motsepe’s conscience to do what he did and to me that is important.”
Mafani said his passion for boxing was sharpened during his days as a radio boxing commentator as well as ring announcer.
Boxing SA-Eastern Cape manager Phakamile Jacobs lauded Mafani for using his skills to get the billionaire to make the donation.
Jacobs, who headed the committee formed to oversee the utilisation of the funds, said that it was crucial that the clubs that benefited from the equipment used it for its intended purpose.
“So many people played a role in getting this equipment but Mafani must be lauded for getting Motsepe to do it,” he said.
“We will monitor the equipment by paying surprise visits to the clubs that benefited to ensure that it is not sold.”
Jacobs said that local boxing stakeholders would meet to decide on how else boxing could benefit from the Motsepe Foundation after Motsepe suggested that the sport should be included in the programme his Foundation has entered into with the department of education.
Putco does the trick for cash injection
Mafani was speaking after billionaire mining magnate Patrice Motsepe formally distributed boxing equipment bought from his R1-million donation to boxing stakeholders last year in June.
It was through Mafani’s creativity when as a programme director, he inspired Motsepe to make the donation after he had introduced current and former world boxing champions to the function meant to hand over funds for the purchase of a prosthetic leg for Nomonde Tete, who is the mother of boxers Zolani and Makazole.
Mafani told Motsepe that he should feel honoured to be in the same hall with so many boxing champions for the first time.
Touched by the occasion, the mining magnate grabbed the microphone and made the impromptu donation.
On Tuesday, Mafani was again directing the programme as Motsepe handed over the equipment to 57 professional and amateur boxing clubs in the region.
Speaking to the Daily Dispatch, Mafani said he was delighted that he had played a role in changing the lives of boxers in the region.
“Firstly, I was not mandated to do what I did so I am not looking to gain anything or that sort of thing,” he said.
“But I would be lying if I said I did not have mixed emotions when I saw my creativity paying dividends for other people. This was not an outright sponsorship transaction mandate but I managed to get into Motsepe’s conscience to do what he did and to me that is important.”
Mafani said his passion for boxing was sharpened during his days as a radio boxing commentator as well as ring announcer.
Boxing SA-Eastern Cape manager Phakamile Jacobs lauded Mafani for using his skills to get the billionaire to make the donation.
Jacobs, who headed the committee formed to oversee the utilisation of the funds, said that it was crucial that the clubs that benefited from the equipment used it for its intended purpose.
“So many people played a role in getting this equipment but Mafani must be lauded for getting Motsepe to do it,” he said.
“We will monitor the equipment by paying surprise visits to the clubs that benefited to ensure that it is not sold.”
Jacobs said that local boxing stakeholders would meet to decide on how else boxing could benefit from the Motsepe Foundation after Motsepe suggested that the sport should be included in the programme his Foundation has entered into with the department of education.
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