Minister Nathi Mthethwa hosted gala dinner in celebration of sports heroes from a bygone era
The Minister of Sport, Arts & Culture, Minister Nathi Mthethwa, last night hosted an elegant gala dinner in celebration of sports heroes from a bygone era.
Held at the Birchwood Hotel & Conferences Centre in Boksburg, Gauteng, the annual Andrew Mlangeni Green Jacket Awards is a Department of Sport, Arts and Culture initiative in partnership with the June and Andrew Mlangeni Foundation. The awards honour South Africa’s great sporting athletes of yesteryear - heroes who, due to the policies of apartheid, were discriminated against and denied the glory of national and international spotlight. However, through their tenacity and the triumph of the human spirit, these athletes managed to achieve greatly against all odds.
Named for Baba Mlangeni, who himself was a golfing lover and proponent of the sport with an impressive handicap of 14 under par, the awards were a feature of the South African Sport Awards before becoming a stand-alone entity in 2011.
Speaking at the ceremony, Minister Mthethwa lauded the late political stalwart and sport advocate. “This day marks and reconfirms our commitment to the preservation and promotion of the legacy of this stalwart. We forever remain indebted to him and the Mlangeni family for allowing the Department to continue using his name in honouring the great sports persons of yesteryears who due to the injustices of apartheid were relegated to the periphery of society simply because of the colour of their skin. These are the Black pioneers in sport who excelled way beyond what their Caucasian counterparts could achieve - the sports persons par excellence whose prowess never received the recognition so deserved, because of their race,” said Minister Mthethwa.
This is the first time the awards take place without Baba Mlangeni, who passed way in July 2020 at the age of 95.
Speaking on behalf of the June and Andrew Mlangeni Foundation, as well as the family, daughter Maureen Mlangeni said the family had come out to support the initiative that keeps the legacy of Mlangeni alive. “We are grateful that our patriarch was alive to witness this honour, and that the Department of Sport, Arts & Culture is still strongly commitment to keeping his memory and legacy alive,” she said.
The recipients of the award took home a green jacket, award and a cash prize of R20 000 each.
LIST OF RECIPIENTS:
• Norman Mbiko (Rugby)
• Cedric Xulu (posthumous, Football)
• Manikum Pather (posthumous, Tennis and Non-racial Sport Administrator)
• Dr Errol Vawda (posthumous, Non-racial Sport Administrator)
• Norman Steward Middleton (posthumous, Non-racial Sport Administrator)
• Lucky Mange (Rugby)
• Morgan Naidoo (posthumous, Tennis and Non-racial Sport Administrator)
• Enos Mafokate (Equestrian)
MEDIA ENQUIRES:
Mr Mickey Fusi Modisane, Cell: 082 992 0101 / Email: Mickeym@dsac.gov.za
Ms. Masechaba Khumalo, (Spokesperson to the Minister), Cell: 066 380 7408 / Email: Masechabak@dsac.gov.za
