Former Head of SABC Sport and CEO of the South African Forum of Civil Engineering Contractors (SAFCEC) Webster Mfebe delivered a moving tribute during the funeral service of his former colleague and close friend Dumile Mateza whom he described as a multi-talented individual who had a larger-than-life personality with distinctive voice that echoed melodiously in the TV rooms of most homes for decades and a legend in the sports broadcasting fraternity.
The service took place on 11 February 2022, at Bryanston Methodist Church, Sandton. The funeral was attended by many dignitaries and friends of Dumile Mateza with Lincoln Mali the CEO of Net One Southern Africa who is also one of Dumile Mateza’s close friends as programme director.
Amongst many members of the clergy who were present was Reverend Kleinbooi; and the Secretary General of the South African Council of Churches Bishop Mpumlwana.
Mfebe started by greeting the church representatives, the members of Mateza’s family and mourners and went to reminisce about his friend and touched on may matters which affected the broadcasting industry and the sports fraternity. He reminded the service that Dumile Mateza was not spared from the shortcomings of the industry. In his words.
“Fellow Mourners.
I carry the burden to say what has to be said here today without fear or favour, otherwise if I don’t do so, Mateza’s spirit will haunt me day and night.
Let me at the very outset relay my heart-felt condolences to the whole Mateza family and in particular his dearest wife Sis Xoliswa and beloved daughters, Nandi and Tutula. And to Nkabi’s many friends and ex-colleagues such as Mandisa Titi, Putco Mafani, Litha Nkombisa, Bhutityi Nkonki, Mongezi Ntsokolo, Vuyisile Voyi, Mona Vanqa, Happy Mabuya, Nokufika Mei-Nyagani, Dicksy Ngqula, Lunga Williams, Sonwabile Ndamase, Lincoln Mali, Bobby Dlikilili, Mthobi Tyamzashe, Ngconde Balfour, just to mention a few.
Sis Xoliswa, xola nabantwana bakho, ukuhlanga lungehlanga, nale ayakubuya idlule!!!
uRazzmatazz, Unkabi, Phesheya Phaya, laChap, as he was popularly and affectionately known to some of us, was a true son of the soil; husband; father; brother; friend; colleague; prolific reader and researcher; mobile library; historian par excellence; linguist; intellectual; passionate and compassionate; sport multi-award icon; visionary; mentor; patriot; consummate broadcaster and professional, whose versatility and wide knowledge in broadcasting a multiplicity of sporting codes was simply impeccable, unparalleled and unrivalled.
I swear to the Lord Almighty that one would run out of adjectives to do justice in defining the character this wonderful soul was, whose body now lies here before us, cold, motionless, and speechless, yet the sound of his unique voice silently echoes in our ears.
As a doyen of boxing in South Africa, there is no doubt that boxing was his major love.
Dumile was synonymous with boxing itself, which unfortunately, in terms of broadcasting exposure and sponsorship, still remains the poor cousin of sporting codes like rugby, cricket and soccer, despite it being a sporting code which is very popular among certain sections of the previously disadvantaged communities. And as a result, many boxing promoters have perished and some are hardly coping as their survival is directly linked to broadcasting rights and sponsorships.
May the untimely death of Mateza, give birth to the timely rise of boxing with adequate exposure and requisite investment.
Unkabi was indeed a multi-talented individual, whose distinctive voice echoed melodiously in the TV rooms of most homes, gluing to the TV screens both ardent and nonchalant sport fans alike for over 2 decades.
He had this magic voice and infectious smile that aroused interest even in the most boring game, as he literarily infused life into every game. If you took your TV remote control searching for good programmes, you would not simply skip his programme, because you would be stuck with him for an unplanned considerable amount of time, watching. I think that the sponsors and advertisers alike derived a good return on their investment, whenever Dumile took to the microphone as they needed more eyes and ears for their brand exposure.
Most importantly, more public interest, due to adequate media exposure of any sporting code, creates a fertile environment as a basis for sport development, especially in those codes that were not accessible to the previously disadvantaged individuals. Dumile has therefore contributed enormously to the development and growth of sport in our country and sporting clubs and associations alike will surely bear testimony to this fact.
Unkabi, uphesheya phaya, uRazzmatazz, laChap, hayi kaloku!!!
We kept sporadic contact beyond the gates of SABC as we occasionally met at an African cuisine restaurant called Tsa Afrika, and we would reminisce about the days when I was Head of Sport and would engage him about constitutional issues as he was then presenting an SABC programme called Rights and Recourse.
Rights and Recourse programme was driven by his undying passion and resolve to pursue social justice for all in our country.
The discussions at this restaurant were so robust as if we were on live television and I used to retort that he must not forget that I was one of those who activity participated in the development of the Bill of Rights in Chapter 2 of the Constitution as the then member of parliament and Constitutional Assembly from 1994 until the
Constitution was finalised and adopted in 1996. But quintessential Mateza would never relent in any debate with anyone, no matter their standing in society.
Even before I joined SABC in 2005, when I was then MEC responsible for sport in the Free State from 1997 to 2004, he was always one of my most admired sports broadcasters and whenever we occasionally met, I was left with no doubt that the man truly loved, lived and ate sport as it was deeply engraved in his personal DNA.
At some of my few encounters with him at Tsa Afrika, he was well known to sporadically belt out songs that made him an instant hit as he sang along karaoke style, leaving patrons completely
spellbound.
Some women would say of his unique voice: “can you imagine having a man with such a sexy voice signing for you whilst taking a shower, it would only mean gratification of the highest order as all stresses will melt away in the warmth of his sweet tenor voice”. uNkabi would quickly burst their bubble by saying: “Hayi kaloku, ndinenkosikazi mna, yekani ukubawela izinto ezikude kunani”
Indeed, the man was as humorous as he was multi-talented. He was very meticulous and even in the correct pronunciation of certain words. For example, he, among other things, lamented about the incorrect pronouciation of the Orlando Parates and PSL Chair. He would yell: ” for heaven’s sake, he is not Ivan Khoza (Irvin Khoza), he is Ervin Khoza, the Ir is pronounced as Er.
Uwu Nkabi, Phesheya phaya, hayi kaloku, much as we shall miss your distinctive voice on earth, it shall receive a favourable ear of the Most High in the heavens above the African sky. In this world we live in, many people are hearing, but very few are listening.
Merriam-Webster dictionary defines hearing as the “process, function, or power of perceiving sound; specifically: the special sense by which noises and tones are received as stimuli.” Listening, on the other hand, means “to pay attention to sound; to hear something with thoughtful attention; and to give consideration.”
Your proposal, Nkabi, in my time as Head of SABC Sport, to impart knowledge to others, especially empowering young on-air talent with broadcasting presentation skills was heard but not listened to by the erstwhile SABC bosses above my pay grade, having personally given you a 12-month trial period at the end of which your thoughtful project was aborted by thoughtless and thankless people in the higher echelons of the SABC. Mona “Nobobwire” Vanqa, can attest to this.
Unkabi, among other things, was later assigned to do research on the 2010 Soccer World Cup teams that were to descend on South African soil, a job he did with absolute distinction, when I later became Head of SABC 2010, before I left the toxic environment at SABC on the eve of the Soccer World Cup. But I am glad that the SABC 2010 Strategy that I had developed with the invaluable inputs of the likes of Dumile Mateza and other colleagues, was later implemented, and won the SABC an FIFA Award in broadcast excellence.
When as then Head of Sport I introduced and enforced wholesale transformation changes by appointing for the very first time four women as sport analysists in male dominated sporting codes such as male soccer teams and motorsport amid resistance, strangely, from some women, who argued that women were not yet ready, Mateza was one of those I approached for support and wise counsel as protest against my transformation efforts were escalated to higher authorities. And Nkabi said to me: tell them mfo ka Mfebe that they are mad, baphambene, because, for example, in boxing, in East London and Port Elizabeth, we have a successful and feisty female boxing promoter, Mbali Zantsi, with a distinguished career and the
world never fell apart and it will never fall apart by giving women equal opportunities, instead it will become a better place for all.
It is out of that process that Gloria Brown and Desiree Elis became the first female touchline analysts in the history of PSL games, to the handsome, but sceptical, surprise of many soccer fans. Thanks, Nkabi, for being one of those who stood firmly by my side in my efforts to main-stream gender equality in sport broadcasting of male dominated sports to give access to women as worthy and equal analysts, among their male counterparts.
Today, Desiree Elis is a successful head coach of Banyana Banyana, and how I wish that someday she becomes the head coach of Bafana Bafana and maybe we shall qualify for top places in continental and world tournaments.
The perennial problems typically experienced by the public broadcaster will never end until the current leadership at all levels truly continues to embrace the fundamental ethos of its new tagline: Independent. Impartial.
Great taglines and slogans can only derive true meaning when they are faithfully practised. Freedom of the press and freedom of expression are the holy grail without which no democracy can thrive and survive, no matter how benevolent those in positions of power can be; that even if they can pay journalists tenfold their expectations, taking away these freedoms from them shall be tantamount to committing intellectual and journalistic genocide, which is akin to apartheid style censorship. And Nkabi was one those who refused to be bullied, hence his resilience and independence earned him few friends from some in higher echelons at SABC.
The SABC is not independent of its citizens, it is a mirror of a multiplicity of authentic voices and lived experiences of ordinary people, narrated with absolute impartiality, with a view to educating,
informing and entertaining the nation, thereby leaving the choice to them to digest and formulate their own independent opinions. It fosters social cohesion with a daily reach of well over 30 million people, and therefore the content to be consumed by such a huge audience must be devoid of any impurities.
The struggle for democracy has been and always will be about the restoration of human dignity, the fundamental ingredient of which is one’s voice to be heard: the freedom of expression of all citizens without fear or favour. We therefore need a public broadcaster that continues to embrace these values internally and publicly in order
to deepen the human rights culture in our country.
The SABC has never been lacking skilled personnel like Dumile Mateza, but they must be given the requisite space to practise their craft without interference, especially editorial independence, subject only to fair policies, the Broadcasting Act, the Broadcasting Code of Conduct and the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa. And those who are more talented and experienced must be encouraged and accordingly rewarded to mentor others just like what Dumile Mateza envisioned.
I suggest that the SABC must, inter alia, consider the possibility of establishing an on-air talent broadcasting academy in honour of the memory of Dumile Mateza’s vision, which he never fully realised. This will help augment the formal academic qualifications with practical hands-on experience of new entrants utilising, inter alia, current, and former revered, tried and tested broadcasters.
I also think that it is time and never too late for any university to posthumously award Dumile an honorary doctorate in journalism in recognition of his sterling contribution to the development and growth of sport in our country and beyond. Similarly, he is worthy of being considered as recipient of National Orders from the President of our country, Cyril Ramaphosa. And this very funeral should have been
designated a state funeral in his honour. What an unfortunate oversight!!!
I regularly meet former SABC employees, who, like Dumile Mateza, feel that they have accumulated the requisite experience to contribute to the positive profile and growth of the SABC, but were marginalised for exercising their constitutional right to freedom of expression in a career that, in fact, requires such independent thinkers, so that citizens are not fed the propaganda of the most powerful in society. In this regard I call on the SABC leadership, to open the gates and the space for the SABC to truly become one of the top public not state broadcasters in the world.
Many talented and experienced individuals are waiting in the wings to contribute in one way or the other to the rebirth of an African public broadcasting giant. To you, SABC Leadership, I say: John vuli-gate!!!.
The SABC has the potential to become a top public broadcaster in the world and all we need is consistent conscious leadership at various levels: operational, board, executive and parliamentary oversight, and keeping a very, very safe social distance from editorial decisions so as not to infect content with the toxic virus of undue influence.
In honour of Dumile and other great SABC journalists, deceased and alive, employed, and unemployed, let us all as a nation encourage, cajole and even pressure the SABC as a public broadcaster to rise up to the challenge and maintain the standard of being one of the most trusted sources of information, education and entertainment in our country.
Those families, whose departed loved ones are still owned their monies by SABC, like Mvuzo Mbebe and Dumile Mateza and others, must, without any further delays, be given what is legitimately due to them. A practise of ubuntu by the SABC as a public broadcaster, will
have positive spin-offs for public education as it will teach both young and mature citizens the values of ubuntu and empathy towards others. And this will position the SABC not as a slaughterhouse of people’s careers, but an incubator of excellence, impartiality, independence and ubuntu and being regarded as the employer of choice by independent thinkers, because it impacts over 30 million South Africans on a daily basis.
Lala ngoxolo Nala, Nkabi, Pesheya Phaya, khangala!!!
Usibulisele kubo bonke abo bebexelenga nathi kwezemimdlalo eSABC, kodwa bawushiya lomhlaba umagada ahlabayo, abafana noo:
Mvuzo Mbebe,
Dan Setsedi,
Mzimasi Mqebisi
David Kekana,
And many more.
Makube Chosi, kube hele, kudede ubumnyama kuvel’ukhanya!!! “