Kaunda Ntunja during the Currie Cup match between the Sharks and Golden Lions at Kings Park on 16 August 2013.
SA Rugby has expressed its condolences after the passing of SuperSport rugby commentator and former SA Schools captain Kaunda Ntunja.
LISTEN | Kaunda Ntunja: A voice of South African rugby
The tragic news was confirmed by his sister, Tando, on social media on Monday morning.
“We are deeply saddened at the loss of one of our most-beloved rugby sons, Kaunda Ntunja, who passed away at the age of 38 this morning. He was a true rugby pioneer – the first black African SA Schools captain, a Currie Cup winner and a groundbreaking SuperSport commentator,” a statement from the rugby governing body read.
Ntunja was considered one of the most animated and popular commentators in South African rugby and was a household name through his work as the anchor on SuperSport’s Xhosa commentary team.
As a player – he played flank – Ntunja captained the SA Schools side in 2000 and was a part of the Free State Cheetahs side that won the Currie Cup in 2005.
SA Rugby president Mark Alexander added: “Kaunda left an indelible mark on the local rugby landscape and we will miss seeing his broad smile and hearing his voice at our rugby matches in future – this is a tragic loss, he left us too soon.
“Our thoughts are with the Ntunja family and all of his friends and colleagues for this terrible loss – the South African rugby community is much poorer without Kaunda Ntunja.”
Broadcaster SuperSport also paid its respects.
“The SuperSport family is devastated,” SuperSport CEO Gideon Khobane said in a statement. “Kaunda was larger than life, a generous, warm-hearted man who cared deeply for the game he loved and the people within. He will be terribly missed by us all.”
SuperSport sadly mourns the passing away of leading rugby commentator & presenter Kaunda Ntunja. Our deepest condolences to his family and friends.
Lala Ngoxolo, Zizi ?? pic.twitter.com/keqEtTPETd
— SuperSport ?? (@SuperSportTV) July 20, 2020
“Our thoughts are with the Ntunja family and all of his friends and colleagues for this terrible loss – the South African rugby community is much poorer without Kaunda Ntunja,” concluded Mr Alexander.
— Springboks (@Springboks) July 20, 2020
– Compiled by Sport2 staff
