Minister Mbalula pay homage to the late Madigage

Minister of Sport, Fikile Mbalula said the forthcoming AFCON 2013 must be dedicated to the late Bafana Bafana assistant coach, Thomas Madigage.

Madigage who died in a car accident in Burgersfort last week was buried in his home area of Driekop on Sunday, 28 October 2012.

Addressing thousands of mourners who included Limpopo Premier, Cassel Mathale, SAFA President, Kirsten Nematandani, coach Jomo Sono, former ANCYL President, Julius Malema among thousands of people who came to pay their last respects for the late Madigage, Mbalula said a road or stadium must be named after Thomas Madigage.

“We need to salute the ZCC church for nurturing this exceptional character, a humble individual in which no grave will be big enough to bury him,” said Mbalula.

Coach Sono said apart from being a good footballer, Madigage whom he adopted at the age of 15, was an intelligent individual and a loyal assistant coach who held no grudges.

“That is the reason why the crowd gathered here would shame most of the Premier Soccer League matches attendances,” said Sono.

Premier Mathale said it was heartbreaking that the province of Limpopo was burying yet another of its talent after it had also lost former Orlando Pirates striker Lesley Manyathela under similar circumstances.

“Fame never went into his head; he remained selfless, went an extra mile in whatever he did and was one person who put his country above everything. He was a very calculating person in making decisions,” said Mathale.

SAFA President, Nematandani said Madigage was a very principled individual who believed in teamwork.

“They say individuals score goals but teamwork wins championships. Here is a man who was famous but remained very grounded; let us take a leaf from this man,” said Nematandani.

As a national player, Madigage won four caps and worked as an assistant coach under Roy Matthews, Pitso Mosimane and Gavin Hunt.