“I am YOUR champion!”
The “yenu” – 13-year-old Sinothando ‘Pere’ Mapapu was speaking in isiXhosa – was emphatic and sincere. Pere was addressing a supportive and enthusiastic crowd gathered outside her Nolukhanyo, Bathurst home at the final destination of a motorcade to celebrate the successes of the town’s young boxers.
Articulate and confident, Pere turned to address her peers. In isiXhosa, she said: “Girls, if I can do this, so can you. Don’t allow drugs or any other distractions to stand in your way. We can do better than that!”
Of the eight provinces that took part in the South African National Boxing Organisation (Sanabo) junior and cadet championships in Rustenburg, North West, the Eastern Cape topped the medals tally by far. This province garnered 22 medals in total – 13 gold, 6 silver and 3 bronze.
Contributing to that tally were Bathurst’s Sinothando “Pere” Mapapu: 36kg (gold); Siyamthanda ‘Ntombazana’ Mlisana: 37.5kg (silver) and Libone ‘Croucher’ Mbezu: fly-weight 50kg (bronze).
Included in Monday’s accolades were Kuhle ‘Chiquita’ Futha who was crowned junior featherweight (54kg) elite provincial champion in June, and the other hard-working young athletes from Malibongwe Tokwe’s Maliboxing Academy.
Among the supporters outside Pere’s house on Monday afternoon were her grandmother, Norah Soyi with Pere’s brothers Anothando (her twin) and Ahlumile. Their pride was palpable.
“I am just so proud,” said Soyi, touching her hand to her chest.
Among those who spoke was Ward 5 councillor Mzwandile Sweli. He quoted former ANC president Oliver Tambo’s famous statement: “The children of any nation are its future. A country, a movement, a person that does not value its youth and children does not deserve its future.”
Bathurst-based Maliboxing Academy founder Malibongwe Tokwe is always enthusiastic about his young charges – but on Monday he was unstoppable.
“Let me tell you right now, Pere did not just become the champion: she took the title by stoppage in round 1. It just doesn’t get better than that,.
“What is interesting is we debated few times before the fight that she needs to look great, and all she said was, ‘I don’t want to look less than the 1st round knockout artist: I am going to win by TKO.’
“Through schooling and sport, poverty, crime and substance abuse can be overcome: we just need disciplined people who care about the kids and who don’t use these kinds of initiatives for their own benefit.
“Thank you to all of the Bathurst parents for trusting me with their kids. I will do my very best to protect them and ensure that they become the very best versions of themselves.
“Bathurst will never be the same. It is no more a village: it is the home of the South African Champion @ 36kg – Sinothando ‘Pere/Augustus’ Mapapu.”
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This article was first published in Talk of the Town, October 16, 2025. The newspaper serving the communities of Ndlambe and the Sunshine Coast, with a weekly wrap of Makhanda news, is available at stores from early on Thursdays
