It was premature

Sundowns legend demonstrates unwavering loyalty and a sense of brotherhood through a heartfelt gesture.

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Famously known as “Mastermind” during his playing days, Walter Kutumela earned the nickname because of his exceptional ability to strategise, anticipate opponents’ moves and thwart any efforts to defeat his team. His football intelligence and leadership qualities made him a revered figure on the field. In this interview with Soccer Laduma’s Thomas Kwenaite, the Mamelodi Sundowns legend demonstrates

regarding the execution of tasks. However, we ultimately reached a consensus that this project was dedicated to the late Walter.

TK: How did this idea of lifting each other up come about?

WK: This concept emerged following the funeral of the late Andries “Green” Leballo, who was a teammate of the late Walter Mamabolo and they were captained by Gregory “Tsietsi” Mashilo. During the funeral service, a group chat was established among former professional players from in and around Pretoria. As the discussions progressed, one of the participants, Len Mngoma, proposed the idea of erecting a tombstone for the late Mamabolo. This suggestion was met with unanimous support, reinforcing our belief in the importance of assisting one another and collaborating for a noble cause; that “he ain’t heavy, he is my brother!”.

TK: You all dug into your own pockets to finance the project?

WK: In the early phases of the project, expenses associated with the event were assessed and calculated, involving the participation of members in this process. Subsequently, members made pledges, and some started to contribute donations towards the event. It is important to acknowledge and express gratitude to the members, as 70% of the event’s costs were covered by their contributions, while the remaining 30% was sourced from four local businessmen.

TK: Who was Walter Mamabolo? What kind of player was he and what were his personality traits?

WK: Walter was a jovial, kind, re-