Sports commentator Manyaapelo dies

TRIBUTES were pouring in last night for the veteran SABC sports commentator Cebo Manyaapelo following his death.

Manyaapelo had been sick for a while. News broke recently that he had spent more than two months at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital in Soweto.

While it was believed the Motsweding FM presenter and SABC TV commentator was recovering, he succumbed to illness. Family spokesperson Kenosi Modisane said they were saddened by his death.

“He had been ill for quite a while and spent time in and out of hospital. His condition deteriorated recently,” Modisane said.

The 50-year-old Manyaapelo was one of the most popular radio and TV sport commentators in the country.

Born in Mahikeng, North West, Manyaapelo began his career at the now defunct Radio Bop in 1984.

According to information from Motsweding FM, he won his first award for being a best radio commentator in 1986.

The station listed 12 awards under Manyaapelo’s belt, including one in 2008 from the Pan South African Language Board “for purity of language”.

The SABC often roped in Manyaapelo’s services in major events. He was part of its team that broadcast the Fifa World Cup tournaments in 1998 and 2010.

“The country has lost a very great man in Manyaapelo, and his work will continue to bring us great insight and understanding of the world of sport for decades to come,” SABC spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago said.

“His ability to use Setswana for football commentary inspired many youngsters and attracted them to the sport field,” added Kganyago.

Modisane, who was also Manyaapelo’s friend, described him as a Setswana linguist of note in addition to being a “living encyclopedia in terms of sport”.

“He was such a great child of Mahikeng. Cebo put the Setswana language on the map. He was the pride of the Batswana people.

“A walking Setswana dictionary, he had the honour of being honoured by the president of Botswana for his promotion of the language,” Modisane said.

He revealed that Manyaapelo died just two days before a golf day was held in Mahikeng in his honour.

Manyaapelo used to organise an annual golf day to raise funds for destitute children. It was held in Kuruman, Northern Cape in May.

“To honour his contribution and his anthropological activities, the golfing fraternity in Mahikeng arranged for a golf day on Friday (tomorrow).

“That still stands. He passed on when we were going to celebrate and honour him while still alive. We just missed it by a day.”

He put Setswana language on the map