The boxing fraternity was stunned in disbelief after a former national boxing champion was stoned to death by community members in NU3 Mdantsane at the weekend.
Former SA featherweight champion Manelisi “Leli” Mbilase died at Cecilia Makiwane hospital in Mdantsane after being assaulted by community members, who accused him of robbing two women.
Witnesses claimed Mbilase, whose real surname was Mgunundu, and two of his friends robbed the women of cash.
The women cried out for help and community members quickly gathered and chased the three thieves down a river.
Mbilase hid behind bushes, where he was flushed out and beaten to unconsciousness.
Police spokesperson Captain Mluleki Mbi said police received a call about an injured man who had been dumped in a wheelbarrow after being assaulted by the community.
“The man was assaulted by community members and was taken to hospital, where he died,” he said.
Mbi condemned the incident and appealed to the community to refrain from acts of vigilantism and mob violence.
Mbilase, 40, won the SA featherweight title when he beat Thando Vukuza of Duncan Village, in Carletonville in 2008.
The fight outcome was slammed in boxing circles as the worst, prompting Boxing SA to order a direct rematch.
In a competitive return fight at Orient Theatre in 2009, Mbilase was adjudged to have lost.
That proved to be his last bout in the ring.
His brother Vumile Mgunundu confirmed that Mbilase was associating with people who often robbed other people of their belongings.
He blamed drugs, which he believed his brother had started using.
“I think it was the life of drugs that changed my brother,” he said.
“You could see he was increasingly becoming a drug addict who would do anything in order to get his fix.”
Former boxer, and now boxing trainer, Lunga Sikonyela, who was in Mbilase’s corner when he fought Vukuza, was shocked by the path of crime the boxer had chosen.
“Mbilase was such a cool and humorous boxer, who did not associate with bad people,” he lamented.
Sikonyela blamed a lack of fights as the reason Mbilase strayed from his discipline.
“All Leli wanted was to box. After losing to Vukuza, he even tried to open his own boxing club to teach kids about the sport,” said Mgunundu.
Sikonyela said former boxers and sport lovers had started the association Ubuntu Boxing Fraternity to empower former boxers after their careers were over.
Mbilase’s funeral is next Saturda..