‘Life can be so cruel’: boxing community devastated by death of Dingaan Thobela

The fight fraternity has reacted with shock to the news that South African boxing legend Dingaan “The Rose of Soweto” Thobela has died.

The news broke on Monday night that Thobela was found dead in a flat of the building he owned in Langlaagte, Johannesburg.

It is suspected he died of a heart attack, but Thobela on Thursday told Sowetan he had a bad dose of the  flu.

When Thobela, 57, was not available on his cellphone — which he always answered — his family were worried.

They decided to check  his many properties and he was found on Monday evening.

Thinus Strydom, who promoted Thobela's first 24 fights, which he won, said: “I lost a son. I can't believe it; I took him from a young child. Dingaan was the first boxer here to win the WBO lightweight belt in 1990.

“I took him all over the world. I had an exclusive deal with the SABC, which was TopSport those days. Then Rodney Berman came with SuperSport and they offered him more money than we could match. He took him the WBA route and he won that belt in 1993.

Strydom added: “I told him when we were in Durban for the opening of Francois Botha's gym that when I die before him he must be my pallbearer and he said for sure. I could not sleep last night after being told he had passed on. I called Norman Hlabane [Thobela's trainer].”

Strydom told the story of how he booked Thobela a prison cell at Barberton Prison because Thobela struggled with his weight.

“We were preparing for a non-title fight in the US,” said Strydom. “Dingaan used to love hamburgers so I booked a prison cell. He was getting a special diet in a guest [house] next to the prison; he made the weight.”

A broken-hearted Hlabane said: “I am dead alive; it's hard. I lost three boys — my 'sons', Lehlohonolo Ledwaba and now it's Dingaan.”

Hlabane's other son Lester Hlabane died in 2012 and Ledwaba passed on in 2021. Hlabane trained Ledwaba towards the end of his career.

“It was difficult to sleep,” said the 78-year-old trainer from Molapo. “I last saw him about two weeks ago and he took me to his place in Chiawelo, which is being refurbished. He looked like the Dingaan of yesteryear. I don't know what happened last week. Most people said they last [saw] him on Thursday.

“I even received a call from [promoter] Nestor Tobias from Namibia, who said he could not get hold of him over the phone.”

Tobias joined Hlabane as a boxer. He quit in 1999, went back home and became a top boxing promoter. Tobias and Thobela were good friends.

Thulani Malinga, the first local fighter to win the WBC belt — the super-middleweight crown — said: “Death is a thief and it has stolen one of our beloved brothers. May his soul rest in peace.”

Thobela's ex-wife Sandra, with whom he has two children, daughter Ntombi, who is attending university in Spain, and son Dingaan Jnr, was devastated.

Speaking from Denmark, where she lives, she said: “The biggest issue was Dingaan did not tell his children where he lived and I told him he must tell his children where he lives.

“His children are not OK. I am not OK. I will do my best to make sure I bring his children home. I share blood with this man; I am heartbroken.”

Former trainer and now promoter Elias Tshabalala, who guided Thobela to winning the WBC super middleweight belt in 2001, said: “I had a press conference in Kibler Park on Friday because I have a tournament coming up on May 24, so I invited Dingaan. He agreed to attend but he did not. It went well and I sent him pictures via WhatsApp and I realised he did not open them.

“I called, but with no luck. I then promised myself I will look for him today [Tuesday]. Man, I then got a call last night that he's gone, I was shaken.

“I refused to believe the man was gone; even now I still refuse to accept that I will never ever see Dingaan. All the wonderful memories, fights we had when he bunked the gym, came flooding like it was yesterday. I am angry; I feel Dingaan betrayed some of us who were his brothers by not telling us he was not OK. We could have tried our best.”

Brian Mitchell, who also trained Thobela after he left Hlabane, said: “He was a very good man; an unbelievable fighter and good person as well. That is terrible. I am very sorry, life can be so cruel.”

On September 27 2006, Thobela was accosted by hijackers as he was about to drive into his Kelvin, Sandton, home.

One of the hijackers attempted to break the driver’s window but was unable to as the windows were bulletproof.

Thobela reversed his car and sped off with the hijackers in close pursuit. They fired at him several times during the high-speed chase but gave up and disappeared.

Thobela claimed to have called the police, only for them to give him a different number to call.

That happened a few days before he fought and lost to Soon Botes in 2006. Thobela chalked up 40 wins, 26 by KOs against 10 losses and two draws.