OUR HEROES

Mighty Samuel Maite was born in November 1931 in Marabastad, Pretoria. He is from family of five siblings of the late Rufus and Tryphina. His parents died when he was still very young and was thus brought up by the maternal grandparents who provided a warm, loving, caring but strict environment in their home.

He grew up actively playing street soccer with tennis balls and all other different backyard games with other boys and girls. He went to school up to standard six at AME School in Marabastad where he played football and was a sprinter in athletics. His contemporaries were Thomas Maputle who was both a footballer and athlete, and Sam Makhuruntsi who was both a footballer and boxer.

Mighty proceeded to Hofmeyr High School in Atteridgevile in 1946 where he completed junior certificate, now known as standard nine.  At high school he excelled as an all-rounder in sports and was honoured as the Victor Ludorum in 1950 when he completed junior certificate. There were other brilliant sportsmen he played with like Sweetie Mohasoa, Moss Moeng amd Ernest Matseke in football, Louis Moeng, Spike Mmusi and Enoch Mamabolo in athletics, Eugene Maduna in boxing, Saul Morolo, Doreen Maseko and Monk Motsepe in tennis. He was also in the tourniquet team.

After completing his teacher training at Kilnerton College, Pretoria in 1952, he worked  at PUTCO the bus company, the Post Office and the SABC the public broadcaster because teaching posts were not easily available nearer home in Pretoria.  At Kilnerton he continued pursuing his passion for sport and enthusiastically participated in athletics, tennis, boxing and football, and was chosen to represent the college in the latter.

Mighty has had a checkered long sports career in the community mainly as a footballer and football administrator.  He has been a senior player since 1948 after he was recruited by Ben Etsane to play for Black Jacks at inside left.  He soon represented the B Division of Pretoria and District Bantu Football Association and was quickly promoted in 1949 to the senior division of the association.  He was so good that there were attempts to recruit him to Morning Stars of Sophiatown, Johannesburg with promises of a house and a good job but because he was already committed to Kathleen, he would not want to venture far from home.

His memorable game was playing against the brilliant Steve Kalamazoo Mokone of the local Home Stars who went to make a successful career in Europe and later settled in the United States of America where he passed on in 2015. He also played with him in the squad that was selected for the Pretoria and District Bantu FA. His other well-known contemporaries include the Mamosebo twins of Harold and McKenzie, Russa Bud Mbele, Benjamin Chapman Morekhure, Ernest Matseke, Joseph Motaung, Seth Stopper Seopela, Thomas Thus Basson, and Lucas Beach Rabi. Playing for Pretoria and District they won championships against associations of Daveyton, East Rand and Muckleneuk, Pretoria.

Mighty’s roles in sports management are as secretary of Black Jacks with other committee members Albert Mokoka, Mpoti Mafuthe Molefe, Israel Madisha and Samson Moeng; secretary of Pretoria Football Association whose committee had legends like John Makhurintsi, Robert Tshanki, and Shongwe brothers of Umusa and Super Fanyana. He also served as assistant secretary of the Transvaal Football Association in the committee that had luminaries like Leepile Taunyane, Mike Matlooane, WT Matlala and Solomon Stix Morewa.

In October 1983 the Transvaal Football Association awarded Mighty a certificate of merit in “recognition of the momentous service rendered to the football and sports in general over extended period of time in the province of the Transvaal.”

Mighty is a loving family man married to Kathleen Makgogo, nee Mpshane, since 1959 and who in her own right was a crack sprinter. She retired as matron at Kalafong Hospital, Atteridgeville. They are blessed with three children.