The legendary Mahikeng born Manyaapelo succumbed to death on Wednesday after been sick for a while.
Tributes are still pouring in honour of this giant. The Encyclopedia of football is no more!
Family spokesperson and legend himself Kenosi Modisane said they were greatly saddened by his death.
“As we all know he has been ill for quite a while and spent his time in and out of hospital, his condition deteriorated recently,” Modisane said.
The 50-year-old Manyaapelo was among the popular radio and television sport commentators in the country.
I came to meet bra ‘Cebo’ (still wet behind ears in journalism) through a senior colleague of mine the late Ace Molebaloa during soccer matches in what was then Mafikeng, during the annual Vodacom Challenge.
Ace also from Mmabatho- had a history as far back when ‘CC’ used to commentate using a can at school- a fact that was pointed out by Barba Gaogaenediwe in his eulogy yesterday.
Tell die laaities (tell these boys), we know the ins -and outs- of football he’d tell Ace, accompanied by his popular signature –white stick in his mouth and favourite drink Lagavulin, as we spent the night away after the game at what was then Mmabatho Hotel, in company of other emerging sports journos who are now households.
Oh, how could I forget that smile when he spoke fondly and religiously about Golf. Sun City, the home of the annual Nedbank Golf Challenge was his second home. And he never failed to take a swipe at some of the players’ for poor tee-off.
We became to know each personally when he introduced one of Motsweding FM’s finest and up coming commentator’s Oatile Jacobs (whom I had known), who was recruited from Jozi FM- from Soweto. Manyaapelo gave ‘OJ’ an opportunity to excel in his craft without favour in return. And he never looked back.
‘OJ’ as he’s known until this day, whenever I bump onto him at the stadium the very first question would be-‘were is CC’ -and would respond in grandeur style ‘call him senyaunyau…’
I dare say, haven’t seen such a Soul with an angelic heart. Till his departure ‘CC’ was ever smiling that went on to show the kind of character he was.
Yes, Patrick “Ace“ Ntsoelengoe (mabekha-phanzi) -was to Kaizer Chiefs to what Manyaapelo was to football. I’m privileged from drinking from the same WELL as yours, rara!
Award winning sport broadcaster Robert Marawa, had an interview with ‘CC’ last year on Metro FM. The interview turned out to be a casual interaction in that Marawa had to stop asking questions as listeners called in endlessly, showering him with accolades for developing sports, particularly football in his indigenous language Setswana.
Immediately after that I wanted an audience with him to expatiate on his knowledge and borrow from his book. Unfortunately by then, he was in and out of hospital.
“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 passed on just two days before a golf day was held at the Leopard Park Golf Course, Mafikeng, 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 Mafikeng arranged for a golf day on Friday.
And according to Gaogenediwe the event will go on (as my heart would).
His son ‘Gigi’-would accompany him to soccer matches and one day at the Macufe game between Chiefs and Bloemfontein Celtic, one of SA’s top soccer scribes Matshelane Mamabolo, was so angry that there was no space for him to work and asked impatiently “mare senyaunyau, why would bra Cebo bring his family to work?”
Well that was Manyaapelo for you, he had a close tie with his family.
In Setswana superlatives such as ‘retla dula re thabile ka nako tsotlhle, pelo boela mannong maatla a yone e sebone, go jewa sebe ka thabo le nyakallo-in reference to Macufe, e sere oe bona e tlhotsa oe nametse thaba– will be missed.
There’s a lot to say, to write and commentate about -but my pen is running out of ink as tears begin streaming down heavily, Ceb-man!
Robalang ka ntho madi a tshologe boo Manyaapelo.
An ardent Liverpool FC fan, football is poorer without You.
A Modimo le badimo ba go amogele. Pula!
Details on funeral arrangements and memorial service will be communicated at a later stage.
