SACP pays tribute to “God of Football” Lucas “Masterpieces” Moripe, conveys heartfelt condolences to his family
The South African Communist Party (SACP) pays tribute to Lucas “Masterpieces” Moripe (71), one of the greatest footballers to hail from South African soil.
The SACP conveys its heartfelt condolences to his family, the entire football and sports fraternities where he was widely celebrated, as well as the people of South Africa, whose inspirations he represented.
“Masterpieces”, as he was fondly revered by fans across South Africa, played his best football in the 1970s through to the late 1980s. For his unparalleled football exploits, he was also revered as “Modimo Wa Bolo” (“God of Football”), by fans and football commentators alike. His natural talent displayed especially at his team, Pretoria Callies, as well as his contribution to the sport, heralded him to the pinnacle of greatness. He is today regarded as one of the greatest players South Africa has produced.
In 2010, to honour his contribution, the Super Stadium in Atteridgeville, Tshwane, the former home ground of his former team, Pretoria Callies, was renamed Lucas “Masterpieces” Moripe Stadium – the only large stadium in South Africa to ever be named after a former footballer. Today, the stadium serves as the home of Tshwane giants SuperSport United and the undisputed barometer of South African football, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Due to the apartheid regime’s suppression of Black sports stars, distinguished footballers such as Moripe, Pule “Ace” Ntsoelenge, Cedric "Sugar Ray" Xulu, Jomo Sono, Joel "Ace" Mnini, and many others, were denied their right to fully showcase their skills to the world. The apartheid system, a crime against humanity condemned by the United Nations, ensured to systematically destroy African talent, a legacy against which the SACP continues to fight.
In paying tribute to Lucas “Masterpieces” Moripe, the SACP calls for a radical approach towards the development of sports in South Africa. We call for the departments of sports and education, as well as sports development agencies across our country, to reach out to the townships and rural areas to develop sports. We make the further call for our public broadcaster, the SABC, to make, as part of its primary goals, the showcasing of the best of South African developmental football.
Issued by the South African Communist Party,
Founded in 1921 as the Communist Party of South Africa.
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Dr Alex Mohubetswane Mashilo, Central Committee Member
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