Daniel Dumile Qeqe (1929–2005), ‘Baas Dan’, ‘DDQ’. He was the Port Elizabeth leader whose struggles and triumphs crisscrossed the entire gamut of political, civic, entrepreneurial, sports and recreational liberation activism in the Eastern Cape. Siwisa tells the story of Qeqe’s life and times and at the same time has written a social and political biography of Port Elizabeth – a people’s history of Port Elizabeth. As much as Qeqe was a local legend, his achievements had national repercussions and, indeed, continue to this day.

Central to the transformation of sports towards non-racialism, Qeqe paved the way for the mainstreaming and liberation of black rugby and cricket players in South Africa. He co-engineered the birth of the KwaZakhele Rugby Union (Kwaru), a pioneering non-racial rugby union that was more of a political and social movement. Kwaru was a vehicle for political dialogues and banned meetings, providing resources for political campaigns and orchestrations for moving activists into exile.

This story is an attempt at understanding a man of contradictions. In one breath, he was generous and kind to a fault. And yet he was the indlovu, an imposing authoritarian elephant, decisively brutal and aggressive. Then there was Qeqe, the man whose actions were not in keeping with the struggle. This story narrates his role in ‘collaborationist’ civic institutions and in courting reactionary homeland structures, yet through all that he was the signal actor in the emancipation of rugby in South Africa.

On bended knee, he leaned over the stricken boxer and counted him out. When he waved the fight over, there was exactly one second to go in the dramatic and brutal world championship bout and Víctor Galíndez had retained his title. But the referee, his shirt stained with the champion’s blood, had cemented his reputation as a cool professional, one destined to become an esteemed figure in world boxing.

South Africa’s own Stanley Christodoulou has officiated an unprecedented 242 world title fights over five decades, some of them among the most iconic in boxing history, and became his nation’s very first inductee into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. He rose from humble beginnings, learning his trade in the South African townships of the 1960s, and went on to lead his national boxing board as it sought to shed the racial restrictions of the apartheid era. It was a contribution to his country’s sporting landscape that saw him recognised by the president of the ‘new’ South Africa, Nelson Mandela.

The Life and Times of Stanley Christodoulou is Stanley’s memoir in boxing. It takes the reader to a privileged position, inside the ropes with champions and into the company of boxing legends.

Thando Manana was the third black African player to don a Springbok jersey after unification in 1992, when he made his debut in 2000 in a tour game against Argentina A.

His route to the top of the game was unpredictable and unusual. From his humble beginnings in the township of New Brighton, Port Elizabeth, Thando grew to become one of the grittiest loose-forwards of South African rugby, despite only starting the game at the age of 16. His rise through rugby ranks, while earning a reputation as a tough-tackling lock and later openside flanker, was astonishingly rapid, especially for a player of colour at the time. Within two years of picking up a rugby ball, he represented Eastern Province at Craven Week, and by 2000 he was a Springbok. But it isn’t solely Thando’s rugby journey that makes Being A Black Springbok a remarkable sports biography. It’s learning how he has negotiated life’s perils and pitfalls, which threatened to derail both his sporting ambitions and the course of his life.

He had to negotiate an unlikely, but fateful, kinship with a known Port Elizabeth drug-lord, who took Thando under his wing when he was a young, gullible up-and-comer at Spring Rose. Rejected by his father early in his life, Thando had to deal with a sense of abandonment and a missing protective figure and find, along the way, people to lean on.

Thando tells his story with the refreshing candour he has become synonymous with as a rugby commentator, pundit and member of the infamous Room Dividers team on Metro FM. He has arguably become rugby’s strongest advocate for the advancement of black people’s interests in the sport, and his personal journey reveals why.

Growing up in extreme poverty in Messina (today Musina) in the early 1980s, Lovemore Ndou was forced to start boxing to protect himself and his family. At an early age, he experienced the injustices of the apartheid system when his arm was broken during a beating in a police cell and he saw his best friend gunned down in a protest march.

Through sheer determination, he managed to persevere and soon the Black Panther (his name in the ring) started winning matches. He left the country for Australia in the mid-1990s, made a name for himself internationally, and eventually became a triple-world champion despite setbacks and challenges. A number of big names in local and international boxing circles feature in the book, including Floyd Mayweather, with whom Ndou sparred during a stint in the USA.

Never knocked out in 64 professional bouts, he transitioned from combats in the ring to confrontations in the courtroom in a successful post-boxing career as a lawyer. Today he has his own practice in Sydney, Australia.

In 2011 the world was shocked when the news broke that Joost van der Westhuizen, known for years as the golden boy of South African rugby and a former Springbok captain, had been diagnosed with motor neuron disease (MND).

This rare condition attacks the central nervous system, causing progressive disability. There is no known cure. All who have seen Joost in action will know that he is not one to give up without a fight. His game-changing prowess as a brilliant scrum half is now focused on a battle for survival and, more importantly, on making a difference to the lives of others with the disease. In a race against time, Joost has a dream to fulfil. He says: “In the beginning you go through all the emotions and you ask, ‘Why me?’ It’s quite simple. ‘Why not me?’ If I have to go through this to help future generations, why not me?” His acceptance of his symptoms is equally pragmatic: “One day you can’t move your arm, another day you don’t have speech. Every day you are reborn and you take the day as it comes.”

Glory Game – The Joost van der Westhuizen Story is a compelling narrative of redemption set against the backdrop of an illustrious career in rugby. It is the story of a modern-day warrior forced to face his own human frailty. Joost shows us that beyond ambition, success and fame lies the true wealth of family and friends, and that within a ravaged body the spirit can remain invincible.

It is not easy. Having a dream, having talent and being faced with a world that wants you to have neither – it is not easy.

This is not an easy story. This is a book about difficult odds, about cruelty, about broken families and addiction. This is also a story about hope. This is a tale of bravery and the undefeatability of the spirit of South African women. This is a story about football, but it is a story about so much more. This is a tale about the fearless women who carry the sport on their back, told through the eyes of the best player on the African continent.

This is the story of a little girl who rose out of the tough streets of Mohlakeng and went on to become a champion of the world.

From the management of major bands in the 1970s to 1980s like Fleetwood Mac, Queen, The Rolling Stones and ACDC to his swift move across to boxing management and promotion in 1984, this biography brings the late South African-born American boxing promoter Cedric Kushner’s history to life.

Leaving by ship with $400 in his pocket from South Africa to the United States, Cedric Kushner has become one of the most renowned music and boxing promoters and managers of his time. Driven by self-belief and the desire for success, Kushner rose to the very pinnacle of the boxing and music worlds. He was inducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame, with the promotion of over 300 World Title Fights and boxers such as Shane Mosley, Hasim Rahman, Shannon Briggs, Oleg Maskaev, Chris Byrd, Corrie Sanders, Ike Ibeabuchi and David Tua to name a few, under his belt.

With stories of co-promotion alongside Donald Trump, his infamous rivalry with Don King, the legendary heavyweight championship Hasim Rahman vs Lennox Lewis known as “Thunder in Africa”, the late Kushner’s decorated life is told through the eyes of his Muizenberg hometown friend Barry John Cohen.

This is the sensational insider story of Oscar Pistorius, by the acclaimed author of Playing The Enemy (which inspired the movie Invictus.)

The murder trial of Oscar Pistorius will rivet the world's attention in a way no other case has since another famous sportsman, O. J. Simpson, was tried for the murder of his ex wife in 1994. John Carlin brings his own extensive knowledge of South Africa and access to Pistorius himself, as well as to his friends and family, after the death of Reeva Steenkamp to tell the story of the rise and fall of a classically tragic hero.

It is the most remarkable sports story ever told - about a man whose legs were amputated at the age of eleven months and ended up running in the Olympic Games - and it is a story too about crime and punishment, love and death that follows Pistorius' trail from South Africa to London, to the United States, to Iceland, to Italy and has at its heart a richly varied and compelling set of characters, among them the beautiful victim, two brilliant rival lawyers and the fascinatingly complex figure of Oscar Pistorius himself.

Anneli Drummond-Hay's autobiography is a fascinating insight into the making of an equestrian champion through her struggle for survival.

It is a heart-warming story of a war baby with aristocratic connections, who grew up with very little money and even less love. She never went to school, she had no friends growing up, but she did have a gift with the horses in which she sought solace.

The big love story of her life was one particularly special horse, Merely-AMonarch. He was invincible in eventing, but as female eventers were not permitted to compete in the Olympics in that era, Anneli switched to show jumping. She came so close to going to three Olympics but was foiled at the last moment each time, despite winning just about everything else in the sport.

Besides her wonderful horses, Anneli gives an amazing account of the people she met - from Harvey Smith to the Queen, in front of whom she was asked to lend her horse for the British Olympic effort, and refused; to her asking a favour, in person, of Colonel Gaddafi.

The jet-set life of an elite show jumper may be glamorous but there are more lows than highs, whether it's her top ride being stolen, a potential plane disaster above the Alps, or the sudden death of a star horse.

As The Princess Royal so rightly says in the foreword to this book: 'Thank goodness Anneli decided to write her story.'

Jonathan Kaplan, celebrated international rugby referee and former world record-holder for most Test caps, had his fair share of challenging moments on the field. He was known for his commitment to fair play, ability to defuse tense situations, and courage in making difficult, and sometimes controversial, decisions. All this would stand JK in good stead and come back into play when, at the age of 47, he made two life-changing decisions. The first was to blow his whistle for the last time and end his career as a professional rugby ref. The second was to become a parent – and a solo parent at that.

This is the story of JK’s decision to have a baby by surrogate, the two-year fertility process that followed, and the subsequent birth of his son Kaleb. Winging It draws on the insights of key role-players in JK’s journey, including the extraordinary experience of the surrogate mother herself.

Exchanging rucks for reflux, mauls for milk bottles, scrums for storks (and other stories about Kaleb’s conception), this account of how JK navigates the choppy waters of parenthood is disarmingly frank and scrupulously honest. At times poignant and tender, and at others downright funny, this is a thoroughly contemporary take on what constitutes a family and how we dare to build one.

Step back in time to the thrilling year of 1912, where rugby forged its indomitable spirit, and a legendary team emerged to win all five of the international matches they played. "The Forgotten Springboks" takes you on a voyage with this iconic South African national rugby team, as they embark on an extraordinary tour of England, France, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales.

Led by Billy Millar, the tour captain, the Springboks embarked on a quest that would forever change the course of rugby's narrative. As they set foot on foreign soil, they were met with a mix of curiosity and skepticism, but these determined men were ready to showcase the strength of their spirit and the finesse of their game. Yet this remained unrecorded, until now.

The book delves into the heart-stopping moments on the field, where every try, every scrum, and every tackle took the spectators' breath away. With unparalleled unity and skill, the Springboks defeated their opponents, carving a path of triumph wherever they went. Each match was a test of their mettle, and each victory became a testament to their unwavering determination.

Beyond the rugby pitches, the book offers an intimate glimpse into the lives of these remarkable individuals who went on to become soldiers, farmers, miners, and doctors who faced major adversity.

Hierdie boek het ontstaan as 'n verhaal oor die lewe van 'n besonderse mens: David Samaai. Maar baie gou besef jy dat dit eintlik 'n boek oor 'n baie besonderse familie, die Samaai-familie woonagtig in Paarl, is. Davy Samaai was 'n legendariese tennisspeler, 'n begaafde musikant, 'n inspirerende skoolhoof of hardwerkende onderwyser. Hy het ook met sy voorbeeld gelei.

South Africa has produced more great cricket all-rounders than any other country, and Jacques Kallis and 12 Other Great South African All-Rounders, a first on these remarkable players, is based on records, articles and interviews with living players as well as archival research of early players.

Over a hundred years ago, there was Jimmy Sinclair, the first man to score a century and take six wickets in an innings in a test match. More recently was the brilliant era of Eddie Barlow, Tiger Lance, Mike Procter and Clive Rice, as well as Tony Greig and Basil D’Oliveira, South Africans who played for England. A great tradition was established for the modern era: since re-admission in 1992 there has been Brian McMillan, Shaun Pollock, Lance Klusener and, the greatest of them all, Jacques Kallis. Jacques Kallis and 12 Other Great South African All-Rounders is about the 13 men each of whom were worth two or three players in one, worth their place as batsmen or bowlers, adored by the fans, and capable of changing a game with either of their skills.

With a readable mix of anecdotes, commentary and statistics, Jacques Kallis and 12 Other Great South African All-Rounders is the first book about these multitalented heroes of cricket. A very special feature of the book is the inclusion of the careers of four black allrounders who were unable to play for national teams because of their race.

A collection of humorous, touching and uplifting stories about life, rugby and everything else by one of South Africa’s true rugby legends...

Theuns Stofberg’s illustrious rugby career spanned from 1976 to 1985, and he is commonly considered one of the all-time Springbok greats. As the 36th captain of the Springboks, one of only 56 players to be given this honour, he was tough and uncompromising on the field but a true gentleman and great raconteur off it, which he proves with the anecdotes collected in this book.

In Stories from the Touchline, he takes the reader behind the scenes, from his childhood days as a schoolboy rugby player to the 1981 flour-bomb tour of New Zealand and winning the Currie Cup for three different provinces – a feat unmatched to this day. He also writes about what it was like playing with legends such as Morné du Plessis, Gerrie Germishuys, Schalk Burger Sr and Gysie Pienaar, marvels at the fans' odd and often colourful behaviour, and affords readers a fascinating glimpse into the amateur days of rugby in South Africa. He also shares his personal struggles with a speech impediment and ill health, and coping with family tragedy, in his own inimitable way. By turns deeply personal, amusing and nostalgic, this book will be treasured by each and every South African rugby fan.

Tendai Mtawarira is known throughout the rugby world simply as Beast. Or, more often than not, ‘Beeeaaassssttt!’, as crowds from Durban to London, Buenos Aires to Auckland cry whenever he gets the ball. In 2018 he became the most capped prop in Springbok history, earning his 100th Test cap for the Springboks, and in 2019 he became the most capped Super Rugby player in South Africa.

Due to play in his third World Cup in September 2019, Beast has been in a winning series against the British and Irish Lions, contested two Super Rugby finals and won three Currie Cups with his beloved Sharks. Along the way, he has been moved from back row to front row, bullied by xenophobic politicians and undergone three bouts of heart surgery.

Beast is the story of how a humble man from Zimbabwe has become a rugby icon.

Ethienne reynecke se ongelooflike verhaal.

In 2018 het die doodsengel drie keer aan die oudrugbyspeler Ethienne Reynecke se deur geklop. Hy het geweier om oop te maak – toe sy milt bars, toe hy ’n beroerte gehad het en toe hy in die agterkop geskiet is. Boonop, ná ’n egskeiding daardie jaar, het sy twee liefingdogters na ’n ander stad verhuis. Die noodlot het sy spraakvermoë gesteel en hom sy werk as kommentator by SuperSport gekos. Dit het hom, soos Reynecke dit stel, in ’n pampoen verander. Maar het hy geweier om bes te gee.

Minder as twee jaar later, in Maart 2020, word Reynecke die Suid-Afrikaanse ligswaargewig-amateurkampioen in gemengde gevegskuns (MMA).

Hierdie is die storie van hoe Ethienne Reynecke dit reggekry het om staande te bly en vas te klou aan hoop waar wanhoop ander sou meesleur.

Springbokkaptein, predikant, filosoof, ambassadeur, kabinetsminister, wêreldreisiger, kunsliefhebber, gesinsman. Dit was en ís die wêreld van dr. Dawie de Villiers, een van Suid-Afrika se ikone wat sy land dekades lank op vele terreine met groot onderskeiding gedien het.

Hierdie boeiende lewensverhaal neem lesers op ’n merkwaardige lewenspad deur Suid-Afrika se sport- en politieke geskiedenis. De Villiers se jeugjare in ’n polities georiënteerde gesin, sy vinnige opgang vanuit sy geliefde Stellenbosch Rugbyklub tot in die Springbokspan, sy moeilike pad met sportbeserings en die soet en suur van Springbok-wees is maar enkele aspekte van dié lekkerlees-ervaring.

Hy vertel van sy betrokkenheid in die politiek as ’n ywerige waarnemer van onder andere die bekende filosoof, prof. Johan Degenaar; sy opwindende lewe as ambassadeur in Londen; as kabinetsminister onder P.W. Botha, F.W. de Klerk en Nelson Mandela; die Kodesa-onderhandelinge en die oorgang na demokrasie; en uiteindelik ’n reeks verrykende reise oor die wêreld as adjunk-sekretaris-generaal van die Verenigde Nasies se World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).

My lewensreis is ’n belangrike bydrae om die rol te beskryf van Afrikanerleiers wat uit die rigiede denkskema van apartheid ontsnap het, wat vanweë morele oortuigings én hulle bevoegdhede ’n nuwe Suid-Afrika help skep het.

In this book you will see over 50 photos of memorable moments of the sporting Madiba, as well as sport stars paying tribute to Madiba after his death.

Featured sports stars include: Tiger Woods, David Beckham, John Smit, Gary Player, Graeme Smith, Lucas Radebe, Bryan Habana, Francois Pienaar, Ernie Els, Sir Alex Ferguson, Cristiano Ronaldo, Baby Jake Matala, Lennox Lewis, Muhammad Ali and many more.

South Africans are sports mad, and over many years of competing in the sports arena, the country’s sportsmen and women have generated a wealth of memories. 100 Memorable Sporting Moments chronicles South Africa’s most enduring sporting moments from the very beginning to the present day, including the triumphs of the 2012 London Olympics.

This beautifully illustrated book traces those events that forever live on in the minds of South African sports fans, including highlights like Josiah Thugwane, Penny Heyns and Chad le Clos’s Olympic triumphs, the 1995 and 2007 Rugby World Cups and Bafana Bafana winning the Africa Cup of Nations, and lowlights like Zola Budd’s tangle with Mary Decker, the Proteas’ Cricket World Cup woes and the Ellis Park soccer disaster.

This book is a must read for any South African sports fan and a collector’s item for every sports fan’s library.

Errol Tobias se verkiesing tot Springbok was onmiddelik omstrede. In 1980 word hy ons eerste swart Springbok rugbyspeler – te midde van internasionale sport-isolasie en groeiende protes weens die regeringsbeleid. In Errol Tobias: Suiwer Goud vertel hy openhartig van sy sportloopbaan: vanaf kindsbeen tot met die groot oomblikke in die groen-en-goud, die vreugdes, die verlies, en die omstredenheid.

Die waarheid agter legendariese rugbywedstryde word onthul, soos die Suid-Amerikaanse toer waar Tobias ’n rekord gebreek het, en die rampspoedige Nieu-Seeland-toer waar protesaksie teen die Springbokspan oorweldigend geword het. Hy skryf oor sy hegte vriendskap met Springboklegende Rob Louw, en die onwrikbare ondersteuning van Danie ‘Dok’ Craven. Hier is ook Tobias se opinie oor vandag se kwotastelsels.

Baie ander mense het al hul opinie oor Errol Tobias en sy rol in Suid-Afrikaanse rugby gelewer. Hier is sý kant van die saak.

The world of the international rugby referee has always been a closely guarded secret... until now.

As a Durban schoolboy, Jonathan Kaplan watched rugby at Kings Park every Saturday, dreaming of the day he would represent his country. Now, three decades later and at the age of 47, he reflects on the career highs and lows that saw him retire as the most capped international, Super Rugby and Currie Cup referee of all time.

But records and milestones are just a part of an intriguing memoir that affords the reader a rare glimpse into the world of international refereeing... and what lies behind that enigmatic, penetrating glare that is as typical of Jonathan Kaplan as his silver-grey patch of hair.

In Call It Like It Is, Kaplan describes exactly what it takes to be an international rugby referee: his gradual climb to the top, the sacrifices he had to make in his personal life, his struggle with injuries and rugby management, the toll an itinerant lifestyle exacted upon him, and much, much more. But this is not only an autobiography: Kaplan also offers his opinion on the role of technology in rugby, dissects his own successes and failures, debates the selection and assessment of referees, and, yes, gives his take on the 2011 Rugby World Cup and the Bryce Lawrence affair.

Containing all the guts and glory you’d expect from an epic rugby tale, this is also the frank and forthright account of a man who, both in life and on the pitch, would only ever call it like it is.

When Errol Tobias was selected for the Springbok rugby team there was an immediate uproar. He became our first black Springbok in 1980 – in the middle of South Africa’s isolation from international sport and growing protest action against the government. In Errol Tobias: Pure Gold he talks openly about his sporting career: from childhood to the great moments in the green and gold. Here are the joys, the losses, and the controversy.

The truth behind legendary rugby matches is revealed, such as the South American tour where Tobias broke a world record, and the disastrous New Zealand tour that was overshadowed by protests against the Springboks. He writes about his close friendship with fellow Springbok legend Rob Louw, and the unwavering support of Danie ‘Doc’ Craven. Tobias also gives his opinion on the quota system of today.

Many others have talked about Errol Tobias and his effect on South African rugby. Here is his side of the story.

It is the world's oldest and most famous ultramarathon. South Africa's Comrades Marathon has teased, tormented and tortured runners from all over the world since 1921. Those who have endured it say it changes lives, speaks to the soul and turns the ordinary into extraordinary. According to many, it is liberating.

Bob de la Motte should know. Winner of five Comrades medals, including three golds, his grit and determination during several epic duels with nine-time winner Bruce Fordyce enthralled the world throughout what was arguably the marathon's defining passage in the politically charged 1980s.

In this extraordinary, compassionate, candid, humorous and captivating personal memoir, Bob explains his fascination and passion for the most famous ultramarathon in the world and recounts the truth behind the hyped-up rivalry. He explores allegations of cheating and blood doping, highlights the hypocrisy in South African and international sport and elaborates on his decision to join the Chicken Run to Australia. He also provides fascinating perspectives on international politics and business on four continents and gives a crystal ball insight into the future of the Comrades Marathon.

For runners, sportspeople, sports lovers and those who simply enjoy a damned good read, Runaway Comrade will inevitably be your best buy of the year!

When Mark Boucher played his first game of cricket for South Africa, a senior player took him aside and bluntly told him he was the worst wicketkeeper ever to play in the national side. Over a decade later, when Bouch finally retired with a plethora of records under his belt and to huge acclaim from the public, he took grim satisfaction in relating this piece of history.

Through My Eyes is the story of a man with remarkable sporting prowess. Born into a sports-mad family in East London, he excelled in squash, tennis and rugby before choosing cricket as his preferred sport. His extraordinary achievements on the field are well known - he was voted SA player of the year in 1998, 2000 and 2006. What is not so well known, and makes up much of this book, are the behind-the-scenes stories and anecdotes. Stories of staring down the barrel of defeat and of celebrating victory; of developing strong bonds with teammates Graeme Smith, Jacques Kallis and others that go way beyond mere friendship. What emerges is the image of a man who always fought for the underdog, whose never-say-die attitude inspires those around him.

Bouch's career was brought to a dramatic end on a cricket pitch in England when the bail of a stump punctured his left eye. But, in his own words, "I lost sight but gained vision".

True to his character of gritty determination, Bouch has rededicated his life to a new cause, that of the environment and particularly the critically endangered rhino.

Wynie Strydom was jare lank ’n onmiddellik herkenbare figuur op die kantlyn van elke Blou Bullewedstryd, plaaslik en in die buiteland.

As die Blou Bulle se spanbestuurder het hy oor 17 veelbewoë jare heen die hoogte- en laagtepunte en die suksesse en mislukkings van sy gunstelingspan beleef. In hierdie boek vat Wynie Strydom en sy medeskrywer, Alita Steenkamp, die leser op sy lewenspad wat maar altyd met rugby vervleg was.

Dit is onontbeerlik vir alle rugbyliefhebbers, ongeag watter span hulle ondersteun.