Dingaan Thobela’s legacy to be kept alive

Two deserving applicants for the Dingaan Thobela Bursary will be announced in September, Rodney Berman has announced.

An astute former attorney based in Rosebank, Berman has done majestic work in producing world champions, mainly black fighters, since he ventured into promoting professional boxing in 1977.

One of those world champions was Dingaan Thobela — the beloved Sowetan famously known as “The Rose of Soweto”.

He confirmed his superstar status when he won the most sought-after WBC belt on September 1 2000, at the age of 34, ending the reign of super middleweight holder Englishman Glen Catley in Berman's international tournament at Carnival City, Brakpan.

That international tournament, which attracted more than 5,000 fans, was organised by Berman, who has promised to fund a National Certificate in Sports Management to perpetuate Dingaan Thobela's legacy.

An emotional Berman, who promoted Thobela, was speaking during the memorial service for the two-weight, three-title world champion who died on April 19 after a short illness.

Berman said the bursary was intended to benefit a deserving youngster — not necessarily a boxer — who shows ambition, ability and promise.

“We've received many applications. The closing date is end of August and we will announce two lucky applicants September,” the philanthropist announced this week.

“We are hoping the beneficiary will align with the virtues that Dingaan represented: hope, dignity, excellence and willpower. Not only will the year-long course honour Thobela, it will also help empower a youngster in a country where employment and skills are in short supply.”

But Berman has not had joy from the University of Johannesburg since writing to the institution in May to enquire about the procedure he should follow to establish a sports management bursary.

The response was that they were experiencing a high volume of queries and they would respond to Berman's e-mail as soon as possible.

In June, Berman communicated with the institution via e-mails and phone calls. He said an e-mail from mylife@uj.ac.za came through and advised him to contact the University of Johannesburg sports management department, which he did.

When contacted for comment, Boxing SA chairperson Sifiso Shongwe said: “We will assist Rodney in making sure that this becomes a success. This is a for a good cause which will keep Dingaan's name alive for generations to come.”

Berman, who has produced more than 50 world champions since March 1990, has staged many benefit box-and-dine tournaments to help former fighters and promoters struggling financially. That included an international tournament in 2010 to raise funds to help pay the soaring medical bills of ailing former world champion Jacob “Baby Jake” Matlala.