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Discover Pheli People , Places and Culture History

Antipas Tshene Sehlapelo

ENDURING TENNIS PLAYER, COACH & ADMINISTRATOR

An pas passionately started studying children to work even harder in a bid
for and wri ng demanding coaching to become stars as well. The impact of
examina ons which were set at a very all his efforts resulted in tennis
The late An pas Tshene Sehlapelo is high standard with 75% as a passing becoming a popular sport in
the proud recipient of the 2012 mark. He defied all odds and qualified A eridgevile with many more
Life me Achievement Award in Sports as a coach in 1975 and started supporters and fans coming to cheer
presented to him by the Super working with children at school level. when there were tournaments.
Shongwe Memorial and Charity Trust
in his honour as one of A eridgeville’s His efforts paid off when some of his Mmoni Sehlapelo who today is in
unsung spor ng heroes when he was protégés such as his own daughter, business in Johannesburg, described
75 years old. Mmoni Sehlapelo, Oupa Nelson her father as a perfec onist and a
Mogale, David Ledwaba, the Lefshedi very strict person who only wanted
He was an enduring tennis player, siblings of Kgomotso, Lebo and Lucas the best for his children. He therefore
coach and administrator, a spor ng and the late Trevor Morolo came into had very high standards and
career which succeeded another the limelight as junior stars at the expecta ons from his children and
brilliant career as a young footballer. local, regional and na onal tennis from everyone he interacted with.
courts par cipa ng in the then South She said that has definitely rubbed off
The late An pas Sehlapelo receiving African Lawn Tennis Associa on, her as she also tries her best to be as
the 2013 Life me Achievement Award Transvaal Open and other perfect as she could in everything she
from Freda Shongwe, the matriarch of tournaments. Mmoni and Lucas won does including for her own daughter.
the Super Shongwe Memorial and the na onal under 20 mixed doubles
Charity Trust. in Cape Town in 1984. Ntate An pas Sehlapelo, who was
also a crack footballer at the then
An pas Tshene Sehlapelo was born in An pas con nued with the fight to famous Spa Spor ng Club, before
Lady Selborne, Pretoria, in 1937. He open up tennis and took part in injuries forced him into tennis, has
was married to Diana Mokgadi, nee nego a ons and in pressure groups had the honour of being recognised
Mokone and were blessed with three that led to talks amongst segregated for their role in soccer by the then
daughters who are also passionate provincial bodies. They were Deputy President of the Republic,
about tennis. determined to succeed without Kgalema Motlanthe at the Union
compromising their posi on and Building in 2009, together with other
Although his first love was football, seeking genuine unity. This led to long Spa Spor ng legends, with whom the
An pas took to tennis when knee protracted but successful talks which Deputy President had briefly played at
injuries denied him the pleasure of resulted in the forma on of the then Spa in the six es.
con nuing playing football. His non-racial Northern Transvaal Tennis
biggest role in tennis was breaking Union with An pas as its first Black The Deputy President who then lived
through apartheid barriers when they Vice President. in Alexander, Johannesburg, had a
struggled for integra on in the sport. s nt at Spa, a er his father who was a
The indefa gable Mr Sehlapelo close friend of Russa Bud Mbele, the
He joined other veterans such as con nued to campaign for emphasis Spa Manager then, requested that his
Joseph Kekana, Masobe Mohosoa and on the development of juniors and son who showed signs of football
Uncle Tshankie in the A eridgeville dedicated his me to the children in brilliance, be given an opportunity to
Tennis Associa on to pull ranks with the community and wanted only the play for the mighty Pretoria club.
Coloureds and Indians to form the best for them.
non-racial Tennis Associa on Of SA The Deputy President then became so
because they were excluded from the The parents of the children under his impressed with Spa, that when their
White associa on. wing, also knew him and were happy family moved to Meadowlands, he
having their children spend me at started a football club there and
In the early seven es, An pas became the tennis courts under his care as this named it Meadowlands Spa. Some of
directly and enthusias cally involved kept them out of mischief. He was a the other legends that An pas played
in tennis development for juniors with coach and a parent to all of them and with include Seth Stopper Seopela,
David Samaai, the first Black South ins lled commitment, hard work and Stanley Mogale, Frans Garrincha
African to play at Wimbledon. pride in what they did. Kgobe, Mauser Matlala, goalkeeper
Majola, Mali ABC Motsepe, Ray
Their biggest challenge was finding He always wanted the kids to succeed Kekana, the late Lexie Mothabela,
resources and exper se to train and made them work hard which at Barrat Tabane, Bantala Matlala and
coaches but with the help of the the end paid off with a number of others.
Interna onal Tennis Federa on, they stars coming out of the group he
got informa on and some resources coached. This further mo vated other May his soul rest in peace!
to do accomplish this.

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Heritage & History Foundation Page 14 March 2023 Issue 1
153 - 815 NPO