FRIDAY will be the day the world observes one year since the death of former president and statesman Nelson Mandela.
Madiba's life will be celebrated in different ways across the globe, and it will also be fitting for sportsmen and women to commemorate his life through sports this weekend. Tata, who died peacefully at his home in Houghton, Johannesburg, was a great fan of sport in general.
He trained as a boxer and also enjoyed long-distance running in his youth.
He was also a devotee of the Springbok and Bafana Bafana.
Madiba would wave his magic wand to help our national teams overcome obstacles in their endeavours to succeed.
Remember how the Madiba Magic steered the Springbok to the 1995 World Cup success at Ellis Park in the post-apartheid era?
The Boks lifted the trophy after beating the All Blacks 15-12 in the final on June 24.
Mandela, wearing captain Francois Pienaar's replica jersey and a Springbok cap, hoisted the celebrated Webb Ellis Trophy in the air and handed it over to Pienaar amid ululations from millions of fans.
Madiba Magic was also with the South Africans when they reclaimed the World Cup title following a 15-6 win over England.
The adorable struggle hero also waved his magic wand for Bafana as they clinched the Africa Cup of Nations trophy on home soil in 1996.
Tata was at the packed FNB Stadium to inspire Bafana, and the crowd went into raptures when he lifted the Afcon trophy high after South Africa's deserved 2-0 success against Tunisia in the final.
It is therefore fitting that Bafana have qualified for the 2015 Afcon finals in memory of Madiba. That is what Tata would have loved, and I'm sure his spirit will be with coach Shakes Mashaba and the boys as they try to win the biennial continental soccer festival in Equatorial Guinea from January 17 to February 8.
The players should also have Madiba in mind when they try to regain the Afcon trophy.
It should be the same with the Boks as they prepare for the 2015 Rugby World Cup to be hosted by England from September 18 to October 31.
The Proteas will also be hoping that the Madiba Magic exorcise evil spirits for them as they attempt to win the Cricket World Cup for the first time next year.
The 11th instalment of the quadrennial event will be jointly hosted by Australia and New Zealand from February 14 to March 29.
I hope that other national teams will do well in their respective tournaments to fulfil the legacy of this great man.
Madiba has shown the world how sports can unite people from different races, cultures, religions and backgrounds.
Today I watch with glee as people from different cultures and races sing and dance in unison during sporting events like soccer, rugby and cricket.
How nice.
Remember how Soweto welcomed predominantly white rugby fans to Orlando Stadium when the Blue Bulls played against the Crusaders in the Super 14 rugby semifinals in 2010?
The fans received the same hearty reception when the Blue Bulls faced the Stormers in the final of the same competition at the same venue, also in 2010.
Today we have star performers in sports that were previously perceived as white sports like canoeing and squash, thanks to Mandela.
Today our kids play sports like cricket and rugby at the previously disadvantaged schools in the townships and villages.
There are also facilities for swimming in the townships, and this is largely thanks to our heroes like Mandela.
There is no doubt that in the near future we will have swimmers from the townships who will represent the country at big international events like the Olympics and Commonwealth Games.
We should also not forget the important role Madiba played in bringing the Fifa World Cup home.
He personally went to Fifa headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland, on May 15 2004 to convince the world's soccer governing body to stage the spectacle in our lovely country.
The world embraced us.
I urge South Africans to work hard to uphold the Mandela legacy and continue to pay homage to our fallen hero.
Nelson Mandela was a great sports fan
FRIDAY will be the day the world observes one year since the death of former president and statesman Nelson Mandela.
Madiba's life will be celebrated in different ways across the globe, and it will also be fitting for sportsmen and women to commemorate his life through sports this weekend. Tata, who died peacefully at his home in Houghton, Johannesburg, was a great fan of sport in general.
He trained as a boxer and also enjoyed long-distance running in his youth.
He was also a devotee of the Springbok and Bafana Bafana.
Madiba would wave his magic wand to help our national teams overcome obstacles in their endeavours to succeed.
Remember how the Madiba Magic steered the Springbok to the 1995 World Cup success at Ellis Park in the post-apartheid era?
The Boks lifted the trophy after beating the All Blacks 15-12 in the final on June 24.
Mandela, wearing captain Francois Pienaar's replica jersey and a Springbok cap, hoisted the celebrated Webb Ellis Trophy in the air and handed it over to Pienaar amid ululations from millions of fans.
Madiba Magic was also with the South Africans when they reclaimed the World Cup title following a 15-6 win over England.
The adorable struggle hero also waved his magic wand for Bafana as they clinched the Africa Cup of Nations trophy on home soil in 1996.
Tata was at the packed FNB Stadium to inspire Bafana, and the crowd went into raptures when he lifted the Afcon trophy high after South Africa's deserved 2-0 success against Tunisia in the final.
It is therefore fitting that Bafana have qualified for the 2015 Afcon finals in memory of Madiba. That is what Tata would have loved, and I'm sure his spirit will be with coach Shakes Mashaba and the boys as they try to win the biennial continental soccer festival in Equatorial Guinea from January 17 to February 8.
The players should also have Madiba in mind when they try to regain the Afcon trophy.
It should be the same with the Boks as they prepare for the 2015 Rugby World Cup to be hosted by England from September 18 to October 31.
The Proteas will also be hoping that the Madiba Magic exorcise evil spirits for them as they attempt to win the Cricket World Cup for the first time next year.
The 11th instalment of the quadrennial event will be jointly hosted by Australia and New Zealand from February 14 to March 29.
I hope that other national teams will do well in their respective tournaments to fulfil the legacy of this great man.
Madiba has shown the world how sports can unite people from different races, cultures, religions and backgrounds.
Today I watch with glee as people from different cultures and races sing and dance in unison during sporting events like soccer, rugby and cricket.
How nice.
Remember how Soweto welcomed predominantly white rugby fans to Orlando Stadium when the Blue Bulls played against the Crusaders in the Super 14 rugby semifinals in 2010?
The fans received the same hearty reception when the Blue Bulls faced the Stormers in the final of the same competition at the same venue, also in 2010.
Today we have star performers in sports that were previously perceived as white sports like canoeing and squash, thanks to Mandela.
Today our kids play sports like cricket and rugby at the previously disadvantaged schools in the townships and villages.
There are also facilities for swimming in the townships, and this is largely thanks to our heroes like Mandela.
There is no doubt that in the near future we will have swimmers from the townships who will represent the country at big international events like the Olympics and Commonwealth Games.
We should also not forget the important role Madiba played in bringing the Fifa World Cup home.
He personally went to Fifa headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland, on May 15 2004 to convince the world's soccer governing body to stage the spectacle in our lovely country.
The world embraced us.
I urge South Africans to work hard to uphold the Mandela legacy and continue to pay homage to our fallen hero.