Softball star fought cancer to the end

FORMER national softball star, coach, cancer sufferer and ambassador Mmathapelo Zelda Kutumela will be buried tomorrow in Mamelodi, Pretoria.

Kutumela, 35, of Mamelodi East died on Saturday at the Mamelodi Hospital after a long battle with breast cancer.

She received her primary and high school education at Koos Matli and Ribane-Laka schools respectively.

Kutumela played softball for the popular Unicorn team and was selected as a member of the provincial (Gauteng) and national softball squads.

She toured Africa and played internationally with the squads as pitcher, and at times catcher.

She was also an ardent Mamelodi Sundowns fan.

Kutumela was diagnosed with breast cancer while representing South Africa at the World Women’s Softball Championships in Beijing in 2007. Since then she has been in and out of hospital where she received chemotherapy and radiation treatments until she had both breasts removed.

The disease did not stop there but spread to other organs, including the lungs and liver.

Her courageous cancer awareness campaigns and her philanthropic work in the community of Mamelodi inspired many women, resulting in the formation of a non-profit organisation that deals with various community issues, in particular breast cancer awareness.

Kutumela is survived by her 11-year-old son Rorisang, her mother Tsitsi, her father Matthews and brothers Thabiso and Pule.

The funeral service will be held at the Assemblies of God Church in Mamelodi East tomorrow morning from 8am while the cortege leaves for Hatherly Cemetery in Mamelodi East at 10am.