Defence minister's father dies after long illness

Minister of Defence and Military Veterans Nosiviwe Mapisa Nqakula's father‚ Douglass Mapisa‚ 96‚ died at Cecilia Makiwane Hospital in East London on Sunday night after a long illness.

His daughter‚ Nosithembele Mapisa‚ confirmed to DispatchLIVE that he had died.

Mapisa worked for the education department and was an avid boxing fan. Nosithembele said her father died at 11.30pm.

Boxing SA provincial manager in the Eastern Cape Phakamile Jacobs said the elderly Mapisa was a ring announcer since the early 1970s.

“I have never seen a ring announcer who dressed as beautifully as tata Mapisa‚” Jacobs said.

He said “Baleka kwedini”‚ as Mapisa was affectionately known in the sporting fraternity‚ followed boxing right up until his death. “He was the father of boxing and this is a great loss to us‚” Jacobs said.

- DispatchLIVE