SAFA President Dr Danny Jordaan says he has been shocked by news of the untimely death of former Sports Minister Makhenkesi Stofile.
SAFA President Dr Danny Jordaan says he has been shocked by news of the untimely death of former Sports Minister Makhenkesi Stofile.
The late Stofile was the Minister of Sport from 2004 to 2010 and had been serving as South Africa’s Ambassador to Germany at the tme of his passing on.
He was formerly the chief whip of ANC in the first democratically-elected government.
“This has been a terrible year for our sporting heroes. Hardly have our tears dried up from the loss of several of our sporting icons who have passed on recently that we receive this sad news again.
I had the opportunity of working with the late Minister from 2004 until 2010 and here is an individual who knew his sport like the back of his hand. His immeasurable contribution to the game and liberation of the country are well documented,” said Dr Jordaan.
The SAFA President said even after he left the Sports Ministry, he had kept in touch with the former Minister to chat about various aspects of the game.
“On behalf of SAFA and the entire football fraternity, I want to express my deep sadness on the departure of yet one of our heroes. May his soul rest in peace. To his family, take solace from the fact that the former Minister contributed immensely to the new dispensation. This is really a sad day for all of us,” added Dr Jordaan.
Stofile was born in Adelaide in the Eastern Cape on December 27, 1944.
He studied theology at the University of Fort Hare, and obtained a master’s degree from Princeton University in 1983.