Sponsorship News South Africa

Samsung announces line-up of torchbearers for the first-ever global Olympic Torch Relay

Samsung, a Presenting Partner of the Olympic Torch Relay, announced its line-up of Torchbearers, together with the City of Cape Town and Nocsa, for the first-ever global Olympic Torch Relay arriving in Cape Town on 12 June 2004.

For the past several months Samsung South Africa has been calling for citizens who demonstrate inspirational qualities associated with the ethos of the Olympics to submit an entry to experience the once-in-a-lifetime chance of carrying the Athens 2004 Olympic Torch on the South African leg of the Relay. Torchbearers selected by Samsung embody the Olympic values of uniting one's community through sport, culture and education while inspiring others through participation and leadership.

The national competition ran from February until 25 March 2004 and was open to all South Africans deserving of the prestige and honour to bear the Olympic Torch - a local or national hero who has shown inspiration, innovation and leadership to uplift the community on a local, regional or national level.

"Samsung believes that the Olympic flame is an enduring symbol of the Olympic ideals of noble competition, friendship, peace, unity and inspiration and we are delighted to be able to give our Torchbearers this experience and a place in history as part of the first ever global Olympic Torch Relay," says Sarit Reouveni, Group Marketing Manager for Samsung South Africa.

The Samsung, City of Cape Town and Nocsa Torchbearers are:

Fundile Baloyi KhayelitshaAn outstanding soccer player and athlete
George BizosParktown NorthSouth African activist and human rights advocate
Beatty BraafGrassy ParkActive member of the Retreat Swimming Club
Zunaid BulbuliaJohannesburgFinancial Director at MTN
Edries BurtonPlumsteadA gifted Santos soccer team member
Peter CoxRosebankBusinessman and SA Olympic sponsor
Amien DharseyRetreatNo information provided
Zunaid DinathJohannesburgDirector of Operations at Vodacom
Magdalene DladlaKwa Nqetho/NgcolosiShe has dedicated her life to establishing homes for the homeless and started the Happy Valley Clinic
Natalie Du ToitSouthfieldSA Olympic medallist (swimming) and national icon
Desiree EllisHanhover ParkFormer captain of the women's soccer team
Johan Engelbrecht-Director at Vodacom
Mzonke Fana KhayelitshaKhayelitsha boxer with amazing talent
Damaris O FritzVoorbrugHealth Committee Member from Delft
Caroline GabuzaOtteryCommunity worker who goes out of her help to help those in need
Gregory GaritsisOrange Grove-
Dawn HareKalk BayDisabled community worker who is tireless in helping the community
Llewelyn HerbertPretoriaSA Olympic Medallist (400m hurdler)
Penelope HeynsPretoriaShe is best known for bringing home the first Olympic gold medal for swimming after South Africa's re-entry to the Olympic Games
Ragmat JafferHeathfield-
Jordan JoannisdesJohannesburg-
Gail JohnsonMelvilleProminent Aids activist and Nkosi Johnson's adoptive mother
Donny JurgensCrafordHead of NGO-SCORE, involved in sport; Chair WP Sports Council
Archilles KallosFrenaye-
Alexander KarakallosSea PointAn active member of the Greek community
Anita KasselThornton-
Marlon KolbeeRetreatBlind marathon runner
Nomathemba KontyoCape TownShe is an inspiration to us all in not letting adversity affect her will to achieve her goals: she is the first black student to go to Aeronautical Space Agency Jet Propulsion Laboratory in USA and was acknowledged by the President for making "South Africans proud"
George KoumandarakisCowies HillAn active member of the Greek community
Marianne KrielBellvilleSA Olympic Medallist (swimming) (1996)
Rhea KritasClaremont-
Talaat LahamJohannesburgChairman and CEO for Cell C
Mark LambertiJohannesburgExecutive Chairman at Massmart
Paul Le RouxGardensA local doctor that goes beyond the call of duty to help his patients
Mpho LebogoRembrandt ParkIntroduced Lobola contract, which has been endorsed by Proudly South African and the Department of Home Affairs & Customary Marriage Section
Byungwoo Lee-Vice President: East & Middle East Africa for Samsung
Mildred LeseaGuguletu-
Sakhiwo LuthuliShukushukumaOutstanding athlete who has beaten the odds to succeed
Jacqueline MaarohanyeNaturenaCommunity worker in Soweto
Eric MajoliNyangaBlind marathon runner
Miriam MakebaCape Town'Mama Africa', as she is affectionately known, is a great South African musician who changed the way South African music was seen across the globe
Thompson MangalisoManenbergWeightlifter Development Officer @ Silvertree
Alan MarshallConstantiaDedicated 25 years to child health
Vuyeya MathebulaCommunity builder
Jake MatlalaWinchester HillsApart from being a disciplined boxing world champion, he has continued to be not only a motivation and a source of inspiration to young South Africans, but also a role model who encourages the spirit of 'ubuntu'
Shaun MellorsGordons BayYoung man living with Aids and the founder of NAPWA
Nomsa MemelaKlippoortie ParkWith the will to help people in need, she has reached out to people with disabilities and those suffering from HIV/Aids
Yong Ho MinJohannesburgMD and CEO for Samsung South Africa
Arun NagarNairobiSamsung Distributor in Nairobi
Hamilton NakiLangaOne of the world's finest heart surgeons that Africa ever produced
Brain O'ConnellUniversity of Western CapeRector of the University of the Western Cape
Omar Kemel--
Jennifer PeersPinelandsTransformation through tourism: She started a project for battered women
Alban PetersonParow ValleyPopular South African gospel singer
Gert PotgieterFaerie Glen-
Malcolm PringleNewlandsSA Para -olympic gold medallist
Philip RabinowitzHout BayA truly inspirational man who at one hundred years of age, is the oldest competitive walker in the world, according to the Guinness Book of Records
Lucas RadebeJohannesburgA true South African ambassador for the sport of soccer. Not only is he a great South African soccer player, but he made history as the first African-based player to captain an English side (Leeds United)
Fhatuwani RamabulaniThohoyandouWon Businesswom



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Helen Bleasdale
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