Dumile mateza biography of rory

Dumile Mateza, who died on Tuesday at the age of 62 after battling cancer, possessed a unique voice and pronunciation that made him instantly recognisable as a  commentator.

He became famous countrywide at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics — SA’s first Games back after three decades of isolation — for a gaffe he dished up on SABC TV during the opening ceremony.

As the team of one nation walked onto the track during the march-by, the camera focused on a few athletes and Mateza asked in his poetic manner: “Who can ever forget the name of this well-known athlete?” and proceeded to forget his name.

That earned him a spot as a sports question in a South African version of Trivial Pursuit.

But he was able to laugh at himself.

In 2002, when he was the acting CEO of the national boxing commission, I was interviewing him in his office in Pretoria.

I forget the context now, but he asked: “What was I doing