Hundreds of mourners filled the Thohoyandou Town Hall for the funeral service of the Limpopo province’s first female boxing referee.

Ms Livhuwani Maphangule, who represented the province and the country in many international boxing conventions, was laid to rest on Saturday at the Lwamondo cemetery outside Thohoyandou. Lebo, as she was affectionately known to her fans, passed away on Thursday last week after a long illness.

Maphangule (48) of Lwamondo outside Thohoyandou was hailed as a champion for women who struggled against all odds in the male-dominated domain and rose to be the envy of even her male counterparts. Having started off as an ordinary teacher, Lebo did not let her background and gender be a stumbling block as she rose to be counted amongst the best boxing officials internationally.

Boxing South Africa chairperson Dr Peter Ngatane said Maphangule was an asset to his organisation. He said boxing used to be a sport for men only, but she changed all that by becoming a pioneer for women. He said it was disturbing that she had to pass away at a time when all women who made a mark in the country were being celebrated. “She had traveled the world over, representing the country at international boxing conventions and she was always there when new things happened for women in boxing. She was a woman of substance and a good family woman who never forgot her family.”

Mr Sariel Nkuzana from the Department of Sport Arts and Culture said Maphangule was more than a colleague, but a friend and a comrade. He said she did not see herself as a woman but worked very hard to reach where she was at the time of her death. “She served the department with zeal and dedication. Her passing away has robbed us of a very courageous woman who worked selflessly for the development of the country,” he said.