Talk 15 September 2022

Ta l k
OF THE Tow nSPORT
Thursday 15 Se p te m b e r, 202 2
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It’s gloves off for boxing trailblazer
SA boxing ref
beats the odds
FULL FLIGHT
TK MTIKI
Mu l t i - awa r d - w i n n i n g
boxing official Siya
Vabaza Booi has
established herself as a
household name in the sport.
However, between society’s
rules and the law itself, it took
sheer grit to get there.
“I was born and bred in
Duncan village, and East
London is known to be the
maker of boxing,” Vabaza Booi
told Talk of the Town, adding
she became hooked on the
sport at “the tender age of six”.
There was little option really.
“I come from a boxing-mad
family. My big brother Miyoyo
and my younger brother Gabula
went on to be SA and multiple
world champions,” she said.
But the law at the time
robbed Booi of the opportunity
to become involved in the sport.
The Boxing and Wrestling
Control Act of 1954 barred
women from participating in
boxing in any manner and it
was only 40 years later that the
law allowed women in South
African boxing rings.
Nevertheless, Booi fought
tooth and nail to become a
boxing official.
“When I started, I wanted to
be a boxer but unfortunately
then the law did not allow it.
“So there was Mr Loyiso
Mtya, he was my mentor. He
smuggled me into boxing.
“He was going to have a
tournament at uMdantsane
Indoor Sport Centre. Everything
was set. The late Les Muller
SIYA VABAZA BOOI
walked up to Loyiso and asked
‘Where is your ring announcer?’
“He said, ‘She is here’,
“But he said, ‘Loyiso we
cannot allow women inside the
ring. The Act does not allow us’.
“It took me something like
six years to break down those
barriers for women to be
a l l ow e d ,” she said.
It was in 1989 that she began
fighting for her boxing career
but it was only in 1994 when
Boxing SA was restructured that
the battle was won.
The now internationallyacclaimed
referee has won
several awards from the
International Boxing Federation
(IBF America) in 1997, World
Boxing Council in 2000 (in
Paris) and World Boxing
Federation (WBF) in 2019 in
G e r m a ny.
“I have been judging and
refereeing international bouts in
and outside the country.
“I have just got back home in
Port Alfred [Sunday] night after a
series of tournaments around
the country in celebration of
Wo m e n ’s Month,” she said.
Booi said she had a
productive breakfast meeting
with the deputy minister of sport
Nocawe Mafu in Durban last
S a t u r d ay, “addressing matters
and challenges faced by women
in boxing”.
Swallows 1sts number 9, scrumhalf Jody Duiker, breaks through a strong Ndlambe Tigers 1sts defence in a derby match at the
Oval in Makhanda on Saturday 11 September 2022 (final score Ndlambe Tigers 14: Swallows 10). Eleven teams, a festive crowd
and the sun showed up for the South Eastern District’ Rugby Union’s derby day. The event was part of SEDRU’s50th anniversary
celebrations. Other results were Old Collegians 1st reserves 10/Lily White 1st reserves 15; Brumbies 1st reserves 12/Invitation 1st
reserves 10; Swallows 1sts 10/Ndlambe Tigers 1sts 14; Rosebuds 1sts 10/St Marks 1sts 15; Old Collegians 1sts 16/Lily White 1sts
18; Brumbies1sts 15/Trying Stars 1sts 5. Picture: SUE MACLENNAN
Port Alfred Rock & Surf members show pleasing results
Our league members under the
captaincy of Darian Keeton
have done well this past season
with the following results:
D Keeton caught the biggest
of the Blacktail, Bronze Bream,
White Mussel Cracker,
Poenskop and Zebra. Heaviest
Poensie, Heaviest edible weight
bag.
Heindrich J V Rensburg –
Baardman
Monique J V Rensburg – D u s ky
Cob Heaviest Lady Edible - a
White Musselcracker of 8.2kg,
Lady with most Points, Lady with
Heaviest non-edible bag,
Ethan J V Rensburg – H e av i e s t
junior Edible Bag
PA A team – Andrew Parson,
DarianKeeton, Ethan and
Heindrich - Heaviest edible
points
Melville Trophy – Ethan,
Heindrich, Jacques and Eben
Winter League winners: - Ethan,
Heindrich, Jacques and Darian
Winter League individual – 1st
Jacques Mattysen
Junior u16 team – 2nd
EbenMattysen
Junior u21 Team – 1st Scott
Knight, Jerome Meyer, ETHAN
Seniors – 3rd overall –
GerahardGuse, Niel van der
Linde, Wesley Wrenken, Josh
Timm, Duvan van Breda, Jerome
M e ye r
Individual u16 – Eben Mattysen
2nd
Individual u21 – Scott Knight 2nd
Individual Masters and 3rd
ove ra l l - Gerhard Guse
We have good depth with
representation at EP league. The
new season starts this October.
KENTON BOWLING CLUB
I think after this last week we can
say that spring has arrived. The
days have been a lot warmer,
though we have been getting
plenty of August wind still.
Tabs in this week was played
on A green, which is coming
along very nicely under the expert
care of our greenkeeper and staff.
We had good turnouts at Tabs,
some internal matches were
played and Rocka Bowl Friday
was lots of fun with plenty of
bowlers booking a slot.
We were also able to welcome
Ivan Pachonik and Rob Croly back
after they returned from various
trips to other corners of the
planet. Great to have you back.
All the draws were done on
Friday at the social and Simon Cox
won the whisky, the PT Meat
Draw went to John Daly and
Anthony Copeman had his name
drawn for the Joker draw, but had
to make do with the consolation
prize.
All of these gentlemen have
won these prizes many times
previously, so it shows you it can
be done.
All those present were spoilt
with birthday cake too as it was
Ivor Rule’s birthday and we were
able to celebrate with him and
S a n dy.
Don’t forget Wednesday this
week sees the next round of the
Dias Jackpot happening and
remember that the PT Trips have
been moved to September 23 but
start putting your teams down on
the list on the notice board now.
B
WLS
BANTER
KOWIE BOWLING CLUB
With the days getting warmer and
longer by the day, it was another
full week of bowling for our
members.
Playing on the A green, and in
glorious weather, Tuesday saw our
Tabs in members playing for the
very sought-after Penny Farthing
meal vouchers sponsored by The
Boys. Deservedly, they were won
by John Hubbard and his talented
team of Jack Wiid and Gavin
(Hillbilly) Muir.
On rink 1 of the A green, the
final between Jason Prince and
Jonty Alexander was in progress.
In a very tightly-contested
game, Jason took the honours and
is now the Kowie Open Singles
champion of 2022.
Congratulations also to
Jacques Krige on becoming the
Seniors Singles Champion for
2022 by beating Bryan Burger in
another scintillating final. Go
Jakkals go!
Wednesday morning was
again well-supported by our jovial
bunch of Novices and newbies.
A special warm welcome to
Philip and Anne Gillfillan who
attended their first session at our
club. Also a big thanks to Wendy
Heny who assisted with their first
coaching session.
Thursday was yet another
warm, sunny spring afternoon
WELL DONE: Kowie Bowling Club members who placed t h i rd
overall in the Whitesides competition in Makhanda over the
weekend are, from left, Jonty Alexander, Bryan Burger,
Jacques Krige, Denny Richardson, Peter May, Andrew Meyer,
Stephen Minnaar and Lester Scriven. Picture: SUPPLIED
which lent itself to some fine
b ow l i n g .
The finals of the Novice Men’s
Singles was played between
Andre Laas and Justin Louw,
where Justin came out tops and
was crowned the Kowie Novice
champion for 2022. Well done
young man, you have a very bright
bowling career ahead of you.
Thursday also saw the Tabs in
competition, generously
sponsored by Graze by the River
and won by the quaint Wendy
Heny and her team of Mike Ryan
and Wendy Counihan.
After the prize-giving, the
evening ended with the club’s
2 0 2 2 AG M .
Without the scribe mentioning
the long list of individual
achievers for the year, the
president, Judy Alexander,
thanked her committee and her
executives for a very fruitful year,
where most of our targets were
met, with various prestigious
trophies/prizes being presented
and awarded to the club’s top
performers for the 2022 season.
Friday morning saw the ladies
Novice Championship finals
being played between two golfing
and bowling friends, Yvonne Hill
and Ronel Hough. What a game.
Ronel went into an early 9
shot lead, but Yvonne was not
having any of it. She picked up a 4
and then a 3 and it was game on.
With the lead changing hands
on several occasions, Yvonne
trumped her big rival to become
the ladies Novice Champion for
2022. Well done Vonnie, and
well-played Ronel.
In line with our centenary
celebrations, on Friday afternoon,
a special Springday Tabs in
competition was organised for the
members who had to wear
something “Springtime’ish”.
Playing in lovely warm spring
afternoon weather, a lot of fun was
had by all.
Like in all competitions, there
will always be a winner of the day,
and the bragging rights went to the
team of Andrew Meyer, Jacques
Krige and Gerald Mills. There was
also a best dressed prize awarded
to uncle Don Kelly who indeed
looked the Springtime part.
After prize-giving, the club
sponsored a yummy burger, and
Peter Drennan’s music kept the
vibes going well into the night.
After Friday afternoon’s big
bash, Saturday was a quietish day
at the club, with the winning team
of Jackie Kriel and Debbie Slattery
wiping the boards clean.
Our club also had two men’s
teams of fours playing away at the
Grahamstown Bowling Club in
the Whitesides and the Inggs Cup
competitions.
Our teams were Stephen
Minnaar, Jonty Alexander, Lester
Scriven and Peter May, with
Jacques Krige, Bryan Burger,
Denny Richardson and Andrew
Meyer in the other team.
Both teams won three of the
four matches played, ending up in
third position overall in the
Whitesides competition.
PORT ALFRED BOWLING
C LU B
It proved a busy weekend for Hein
Strombeck, John Hodges, Neil
MacCullam and Brian McLean as
well as Stuart McDougal, Phil
Taylor, Bill Wragg and Mike
Pfotenhauer, who participated in
the Whiteside tournament held at
the Grahamstown Bowling Club.
Four games of 21 ends were
played with both sides winning
two and losing two.
There was joy for Stuart’s team
when they picked up an eight
against Uitenhage, followed by
disappointment when they lost the
game.
S a t u r d ay ’s weather was fine
but on Sunday afternoon, all
players had to contend against a
strong breeze which swept across
the greens. Thanks for
participating guys.
The final of the club’s drawn
trips is to be played this week
Wednesday between Hein and
Fred Stowe and Phil and Nick
Oosthuizen.
In the semifinal, Hein and Fred
beat Brian and Lenny Clarke,
while Phil and Nick beat Peter
Wansel and Jaco van Niekerk.
The ladies’ singles final, played
in strong wind last week, saw
Jenny Frost beating Lynda
Schoning, who unfortunately
injured her knee but managed to
play out the game. Well bowled
Je n .
Coming up this week will be
the Timm and Moore Cup to be
played at Kowie, followed by the
Buco Trips, also to be held at
Kowie this Saturday.
Also coming up is the men’s
mini-districts to be played from
September 22-25 in Gqeberha.