McKenzie pledges posthumous honour for Tete and financial injection into boxing

McKenzie was speaking at the memorial service of Tete at the Orient Theatre in KuGompo City, after he was gunned down last Friday in front of his house, in what appeared to be a hit. 

As a former WBO and IBF junior bantamweight and bantamweight world champion respectively, McKenzie says Tete qualifies for a posthumous legends award.

"So, I want to say to the father, I'm not going to make promises here, that I'm going to be here, I'm gonna look after you, I'm not going to do those things. So, I can't lie but I'm gonna say this to you, the next legends that will be honoured in Sun City, Last born will get an award,” Mckenzie said.

“He will get R100 000 with you as the father, that is our contribution for what you've done. To the Ceo of Boxing South Africa, I don't want the Ceo of Boxing South Africa to say no, we are giving you R100 000, that's not you, it is me. You must do something for Last born. You must do something for the family."

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Tete’s funeral service will be held at the Sisa Dukashe Stadium in Mdantsane on Saturday. 

After having served his four-year ban away from boxing, Tete was expected to return to the ring in November this year, but there was a Boxing South Africa’s (BSA’s) safety policy that was blocking him from getting a new license because he was over 35years-old and had been inactive for more than a year. 

McKenzie says now that will soon be a thing of the past.

"I couldn't believe it when I was told that in South Africa boxers must retire at a certain age even if you feel you can still fight. Boxers like Mayweather made a comeback,” the minister added

“We've put in a law, before the end of this year, any boxer that feels he wants to make a comeback to the ring, he will be allowed to make a comeback."

McKenzie, addressing the mourners who had gathered including the Tete family,  former and current boxers, trainers, promoters, government officials and the general public, used this opportunity to also update on the financial support his department is giving to the boxing community. 

He says the long-awaited Steve Tshwete boxing tournament will kick-off in December and has committed R10 million to the project.