By Mesuli Zifo
The Mdantsane area which is reputably the Boxing Mecca of South Africa came to a virtual standstill on Wednesday for the official honoring of the country’s lone female world champion Noni Thenge.
Unbeaten in 12 bouts with a draw and nine stoppages, Thenge captured the IBF female welterweight title with a fourth round stoppage defeat of New Zealander Daniella Smith a fortnight ago thus becoming her country’s lone female world champion.
And on Wednesday, South African Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula took time from his busy schedule to attend a big ceremony held at a derelict Sisonke Boxing Gymnasium at NU 8 Mdantsane near East London where Thenge together with other female fighters train.
Mbalula donated boxing equipment worth hundreds of thousands of dollars and promised to upgrade the gym into the state-of-the-start entity as part of paying homage to Thenge for making history in her country.
Attended by several high ranking government officials including members of the local boxing commission, the event attracted a big crowd in a specially erected tent which was crammed with screaming and ululating people who all came to witness the historic occasion.
While Thenge is the first female world champion from the Mdantsane area in particular and South African in general, she, however, followed on the footsteps of several world champions who have been produced from the sprawling dusty region.
Many of the former champions present included Vuyani Bungu who defended the IBF junior featherweight title 13 times, his predecessor Welcome Ncita who became the first SA fighter to win the IBF crown which he defended five times before losing it to American gold medalist Kennedy McKinney, IBO middleweight champion Mpush Makambi, two time IBF lightweight champion Ali Funeka who lost both to then champion Nate Campbell and Joan Guzman and a host of ex-national champions.
Among Thenge’s gifts for winning the world title, was a brand new car, education scholarship, financial assistance for her diet and some cash.
Her promoter Branco Milenkovic promised to steer her to bigger fights to enhance her name as the boxing brand in SA.
“For Noni this is only the beginning of bigger things to come but it is worth noting that female boxing is not yet at the level of males so female fighters cannot expect the same purse as their male counterparts,” Milenkovic.
Government speaker after speaker took turns to congratulate the 29-year-old Thenge for her achievement obtained in less than five years after she turned professional following permission after the passing of the SA Boxing Act of 2001.
“You are now the torch bearer not only young girls but even young boys who aspire to be boxers, “ Mbalula reminded her.
