MAPULONI – The little mountainous rural village of Mapuloni, west of Mutale, now has something to be proud of, as one of its former barefooted herd boys is making his mark in the South African boxing fraternity.

Although Mr Mashudu Siaga (39) is not a boxer himself, he has gone on record as one of the first Boxing Ring Announcers in Limpopo. Siaga received his certificate from Boxing South Africa (BSA) in 1998.

“Although there are other ring announcers in Limpopo to date, I feel proud by going on record as one of the first Limpopo ring announcers to be certified by the Boxing South Africa. I come from a very remote rural area where we spent most of our youth days herding cattle and picking wild fruits, but today I can proudly say that success does not depend on who you are or where you come from. It is a matter of hard work, dedication and the zeal to complete a given task.”

Siaga, who is also a voluntary Boxing Analyst for Univen Radio and Phalaphala FM, has served as an announcer for 12 national and provincial bouts and he received a standing ovation from the public after each fight.

“My role models are Michel Buffer from the US and our own South African, Desmond Sono. I never thought I would venture into the boxing industry, but when the chance came, I grabbed it with both hands,” said Siaga, who is a member of the SAPS attached to the Matatshe Satellite Station.

The bearer of a sports management certificate from the University of Venda, Siaga said his most memorable moment was when he was a ring announcer in the bout between Christian Favelor (USA) and Isaac Hlatswayo (SA) in Polokwane on 26 November 2000.

“Although I was nervous at first, I enjoyed my job because it was a bout everybody was talking about. It also put my name in the spotlight because I was then unknown and I was like a dwarf amongst the giants in the boxing fraternity. Since then, I have done my job with ease and I fully enjoy every minute of it.”

Married to Ntshavheni (34) with three kids, Siaga said his positive attitude has kept him shuffling between his roles as ring announcer, family man and a police officer.

“Although it is not easy, I manage my time effectively to strike a balance between my different roles to yield good results. The most important thing is to manage time effectively and to concentrate on things that will benefit society at all times.”

Siaga told Mirror that he has also acquired informal boxing scoring skills which he believes will lay a foundation for him when he studies boxing refereeing in the near future.

“I also want to become a boxing judge and I know I will succeed because I put an extra effort into everything I do.”