Africa Dr Makhenkesi Stofile on the international professional women boxing
tournament that was staged on Friday, 10 August
15 August 2007
The 'Coming of Age' tournament that saw South African female professional
boxers trading blows with Brazilian opponents last Friday heralded a new era in
South African boxing.
Befittingly, this tournament was co-promoted by two female boxing promoters,
Ms Mbali Zantsi of Showtime Boxing Promotions and Ms Kenosi Mlabateki of Rams
Boxing Promotions, during a month when South Africa celebrates the contribution
made by its women towards a free society. Ms Zantsi and Mlabateki's promotion
of this tournament, the first ever featuring professional South African female
boxers, highlights the role played by female promoters in breaking barriers for
women. The Ministry of Sport and Recreation salutes these women and hopes that
future tournaments will be even more successful. Equally, the Ministry salutes
the female boxers who defied the odds to gain promotion to the professional
ranks.
While the tournament reflected the coming of age of our female promoters,
our female boxers and female boxing, it also reflected South Africa's
commitment to use sport as a vehicle for promoting people-to-people
co-operation with developing countries in the south pursuant to the Joint
Declaration signed by the leaders of India, Brazil and South Africa when they
launched the trilateral organisation, India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA), in
Brasilia on 13 September 2006.
The Ministry wishes to encourage female boxers still in the amateur ranks
not to despair as their continued participation in boxing will contribute
towards challenging gender stereotypes that still exist in our society. For
their peers to have turned professional should be proof enough that with
commitment and discipline, their time will also come.
Enquiries:
Manase Makwela
Cell: 082 782 1759
Issued by: Sport and Recreation South Africa
15 August 2007
