SA mourns death of Silver Bullet

THE memorial service for Limpopo-born world middle distance champion, Mbulaeni Mulaudzi, will take place at TWCC–Midoroni village near Makhado on Friday.
The 34-year-old died in a motor vehicle collision on the R555 between Ogies and Emalahleni in Mpumalanga on Friday.

He was on his way to an Athletics SA meeting in Johannesburg when the accident occurred.
Mulaudzi was the 2009 world champion in the men’s 800 metres. He carried South Africa’s flag at the opening ceremony of the 2004 Summer Olympics, where he became an Olympic silver medallist, earning him the nickname Silver Bullet.
His first world games medal was a bronze at the 2003 World Championships, which came a year after his victory at the 2002 Commonwealth Games. Mulaudzi was the gold medallist at the 2004 IAAF World Indoor Championships and won two further silver medals at the competition in 2006 and 2008.

He was African runner-up on three occasions, taking the silver at the African Championships in 2000 and the All-Africa Games in 2003 and 2007.
Mulaudzi’s father, Mukondeleli, said the family was devastated and struggled to cope with his death. He said they tried to accept what had happened and the community gave them much needed support.
Sport and recreation minister, Fikile Mbalula, said Mulaudzi’s death was a great loss to the nation.

He described him as a great patriot and said Mulaudzi had done a lot for his country.
“We lower our sports banners for the passing of yet another sporting icon in the history of South Africa. He was the country’s first black athlete to be ranked number one in the world,” Mbalula said.
Makhado mayor, David Mutavhatsindi, said the municipality would help the family with funeral arrangements.
Following the memorial service in TWCC-Midoroni village on Friday, Mulaudzi’s burial will take place in Muduluni village in the Kutama area on Saturday.