Darius Dhlomo
Encyclopedia
Darius Mfana Temba Dhlomo (born 9 August 1931) is a South Africa
n former footballer, boxer
, musician
and a political activist
.
Born in Durban
, he was the son of Rolfes Robert Reginald Dhlomo
, a pioneer in black South African writing. He began competing in non-white boxing contests in apartheid-era South Africa. A victory in Durban in 1956 over Gilbert Petros brought him the Natal
non-white middleweight
title and then, by defeating Ezrom Ngcobo, he became the non-white South African cruiserweight champion.
Alongside his budding boxing career, he was the captain of both the Baumannville City Blacks football team and the Natal national football team. Further to this, he also sang in a jazz
quintet – a fact which led Drum, a national magazine aimed at the black South African market, to publish a feature on him titled "Darius Dhlomo, Man of Many Talents". He decided to move to the Netherlands
having signed a professional football contract with Heracles Almelo
in 1958, joining up with Steve Mokone
who was the first black South African to play in the European leagues.
Before his debut match against Rigtersbleek, Dhlomo's absence sparked a search – striker Joop Schuman found him changing underneath the grandstand
, unaware that a black player would be allowed into the team changing room
. He won the support of the team's fanbase with his aggressive style and demonstrated his technical ability with passes using the outside of his boot – a trick which became commonplace in later years. Dhlomo and Mokone became prominent role models for black South Africans as the sportsmen were among the few people of such ancestry to enjoy prominence in a largely white society.
Despite success abroad, his position as an activist for the African National Congress
meant he was not allowed to return home to the National Party
-governed South Africa. The funerals of his mother, brother and sister were all held in his absence. While still continuing his boxing and music careers in the Netherlands, he went on to play football for Vitesse Arnhem
, DHC Delft, Tubantia Hengelo and Enschedese Boys. Exiled from South Africa, he settled in Enschede
and later worked as a teacher
, social work
er and a politician for the Labour Party
.
He received permission to return to South Africa in 1992 and met with Nelson Mandela
. Dhlomo was taken aback by the level of recognition he received in South Africa after an absence of over thirty years. The 2010 FIFA World Cup
– hosted in South Africa – saw the media spotlight return to Dhlomo, and his life became the subject of a number of Dutch television
specials. He continues to perform as a live jazz musician, touring as "Darius Dhlomo and his swinging-4".
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n former footballer, boxer
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
, musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
and a political activist
Activism
Activism consists of intentional efforts to bring about social, political, economic, or environmental change. Activism can take a wide range of forms from writing letters to newspapers or politicians, political campaigning, economic activism such as boycotts or preferentially patronizing...
.
Born in Durban
Durban
Durban is the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal and the third largest city in South Africa. It forms part of the eThekwini metropolitan municipality. Durban is famous for being the busiest port in South Africa. It is also seen as one of the major centres of tourism...
, he was the son of Rolfes Robert Reginald Dhlomo
Rolfes Robert Reginald Dhlomo
Rolfes Robert Reginald Dhlomo was a South African novelist. His novella An African Tragedy, published in 1928 was the first fiction work written by a black South African to appear in book form. Together with his brother Herbert, he worked as a journalist and editor for the journals Bantu World and...
, a pioneer in black South African writing. He began competing in non-white boxing contests in apartheid-era South Africa. A victory in Durban in 1956 over Gilbert Petros brought him the Natal
Natal Province
Natal, meaning "Christmas" in Portuguese, was a province of South Africa from 1910 until 1994. Its capital was Pietermaritzburg. The Natal Province included the bantustan of KwaZulu...
non-white middleweight
Middleweight
Middleweight is a division, or weight class, in boxing. Early boxing history is less than exact, but the middleweight designation seems to have begun in the 1840s. In the bare-knuckle era, the first middleweight championship fight was between Tom Chandler and Dooney Harris in 1897...
title and then, by defeating Ezrom Ngcobo, he became the non-white South African cruiserweight champion.
Alongside his budding boxing career, he was the captain of both the Baumannville City Blacks football team and the Natal national football team. Further to this, he also sang in a jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
quintet – a fact which led Drum, a national magazine aimed at the black South African market, to publish a feature on him titled "Darius Dhlomo, Man of Many Talents". He decided to move to the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
having signed a professional football contract with Heracles Almelo
Heracles Almelo
Heracles Almelo is a football club from Almelo, Netherlands.Heracles Almelo were founded on May 3, 1903 as Heracles, after the demigod son of Zeus. They changed their name on July 1, 1974 to SC Heracles '74 and finally settled on the current name in 1998. The club has won the Dutch national title...
in 1958, joining up with Steve Mokone
Steve Mokone
Stephen Madi Mokone OIG is a former South African footballer who was the first black player to play in a professional European league...
who was the first black South African to play in the European leagues.
Before his debut match against Rigtersbleek, Dhlomo's absence sparked a search – striker Joop Schuman found him changing underneath the grandstand
Grandstand
A grandstand is a large and normally permanent structure for seating spectators, most often at a racetrack. This includes both auto racing and horse racing. The grandstand is in essence like a single section of a stadium, but differs from a stadium in that it does not wrap all or most of the way...
, unaware that a black player would be allowed into the team changing room
Reservation of Separate Amenities Act
The Reservation of Separate Amenities Act, Act No 49 of 1953, formed part of the apartheid system of racial segregation in South Africa.The Act legalized the racial segregation of public premises, vehicles and services. Only public roads and streets were excluded from the Act...
. He won the support of the team's fanbase with his aggressive style and demonstrated his technical ability with passes using the outside of his boot – a trick which became commonplace in later years. Dhlomo and Mokone became prominent role models for black South Africans as the sportsmen were among the few people of such ancestry to enjoy prominence in a largely white society.
Despite success abroad, his position as an activist for the African National Congress
African National Congress
The African National Congress is South Africa's governing Africanist political party, supported by its tripartite alliance with the Congress of South African Trade Unions and the South African Communist Party , since the establishment of non-racial democracy in April 1994. It defines itself as a...
meant he was not allowed to return home to the National Party
National Party (South Africa)
The National Party is a former political party in South Africa. Founded in 1914, it was the governing party of the country from 4 June 1948 until 9 May 1994. Members of the National Party were sometimes known as Nationalists or Nats. Its policies included apartheid, the establishment of a...
-governed South Africa. The funerals of his mother, brother and sister were all held in his absence. While still continuing his boxing and music careers in the Netherlands, he went on to play football for Vitesse Arnhem
Vitesse Arnhem
Stichting Betaald Voetbal Vitesse is a Dutch football club from Arnhem, which was founded on 14 May 1892. Vitesse has had considerable success in the Eredivisie, and featured in the UEFA Cup competition, but has never been considered a close competitor of the top three clubs of Netherlands...
, DHC Delft, Tubantia Hengelo and Enschedese Boys. Exiled from South Africa, he settled in Enschede
Enschede
Enschede , also known as Eanske in the local dialect of Twents, is a municipality and a city in the eastern Netherlands in the province of Overijssel and in the Twente region...
and later worked as a teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
, social work
Social work
Social Work is a professional and academic discipline that seeks to improve the quality of life and wellbeing of an individual, group, or community by intervening through research, policy, community organizing, direct practice, and teaching on behalf of those afflicted with poverty or any real or...
er and a politician for the Labour Party
Labour Party (Netherlands)
The Labour Party , is a social-democratic political party in the Netherlands. Since the 2003 Dutch General Election, the PvdA has been the second largest political party in the Netherlands. The PvdA was a coalition member in the fourth Balkenende cabinet following 22 February 2007...
.
He received permission to return to South Africa in 1992 and met with Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, and was the first South African president to be elected in a fully representative democratic election. Before his presidency, Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist, and the leader of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the armed wing...
. Dhlomo was taken aback by the level of recognition he received in South Africa after an absence of over thirty years. The 2010 FIFA World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
– hosted in South Africa – saw the media spotlight return to Dhlomo, and his life became the subject of a number of Dutch television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
specials. He continues to perform as a live jazz musician, touring as "Darius Dhlomo and his swinging-4".