Pretoria- Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa has paid tribute to the late soccer legend Steve “Kalamazoo” Mokone.
Speaking at a memorial service held at FNB stadium on Saturday, the Deputy President described Mokone as a legendary footballer whose love of football would not be deterred by backward laws.
“On the eve of his departure to Europe, he was approached by prominent ANC figures, Dr Willie Nkomo and Dr Peter Tsele.
They told him that every goal he scored would be a step closer to his people's liberation. History would have it that this South African trailblazer would become a global football icon acclaimed by nations across the world," Ramaphosa said.
He said Mokone's passion, determination and his own relentless led him to achieve greatness noting that at the age of 16, Mokone was the youngest player to ever represent South Africa when he was selected to the South African Blacks.
Mokone died on 20 March 2015.
He was the first black professional player from South Africa to play in England, when he joined Coventry City in 1955. He went on to play in Holland, Spain, France and Italy, becoming a truly international footballer.
“He paved the way for many other talented black soccer stars to play abroad. He gave them the confidence to match their skills against the best in the world. He inspired countless young people to reach for goals far greater than what they first imagined possible,” said Deputy President Ramaphosa.
He said Mokone's influence extended beyond the sports field as he worked for the American Committee on Africa in the 1968 Olympic boycott movement.
“It was for his contribution to the development of non-racial sport, that he was awarded the Order of Ikhamanga in Gold (in 2003).He appreciated the value and potential of sport to build a better society.”
Mokone left the country in 1955, just a few months after the adoption of the Freedom Charter in Kliptown, Soweto.
“It is significant that Mokone lauded our National Sport and Recreation Plan because it identified school sport as the bedrock for the growth and development of young talent. Our sports policy encourages sportsmen and women to develop their sporting prowess alongside academic progress."
Government welcomes the plan to install a bust of Steve Mokone at the FNB stadium.
“We want to see our nation’s heroes occupying the stone pedestals of this land. We want to see statues of those people whose values we all share and whose achievements we all admire.The bust of Steve Mokone will be unveiled at an appropriate time when our national team Bafana Bafana will be playing at the stadium," said the Deputy President-SAnews.gov.za
