In trying times, South Africans tend to unite around sport for reassurance and hope. With this in mind, the book page features three recently published memoirs about South African sport legends who have left their mark for vastly different reasons.
Kitsie: Memoir of a bomb-squad Bok
Authors: Steven Kitshoff with Michael Vlismas
Publisher: Jonathan Ball
Formidable former Springbok prop Steven Kitshoff was much loved on and off the field for his discipline and determination – and for his humility, honesty and warmth.
He takes us beyond the bruising scrums and World Cup trophies to reflect on a rugby career defined by an unwavering commitment to what is best for the team.
His journey is charted from schoolboy prodigy in the Western Cape to captaining the Stormers and reaching the pinnacle of international rugby as part of the team that won the World Cup twice in a row.
The big man the fans call ‘Kitsie’ and ‘Spicy Plum’ delves into the magic of the bomb squad strategy, representing a unique team-first culture. Players embraced their roles knowing that the ultimate goal was collective success rather than individual glory. This spirit of selflessness reflects one of the key reasons behind South Africa’s success on the world stage.
It’s a journey marked by hard work, sacrifice, and perseverance. While many fans only see the glory of professional sport, this memoir reveals the dedication required to reach the highest level and stay there. Kitshoff’s story serves as a reminder that success is built through years of commitment and consistent effort.
A key theme is the discovery of purpose after rugby. Following his forced retirement owing to a devastating neck injury, Kitshoff was faced with the challenge of redefining himself beyond the game. His journey of adapting to a new chapter and finding fresh opportunities is inspiring and relatable.
Written by Michael Vlismas, an award-winning journalist and author of eight books, Kitsie is honest and inspiring. His writing captures the excitement of elite rugby and the human story behind the athlete.
Oscar Pistorius: The Big Lie and the Right to a Fair Trial
Author: Chris Marnewick
Publisher: Naledi
The drama and controversy surrounding champion Paralympian Oscar Pistorius and his conviction for the fatal shooting of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, in 2014, is back – with a new twist.
Chris Marnewick SC is the author of an even more controversial take on his trials. The answers to a number of troubling questions are convincingly suggested by Marnewick, an experienced senior advocate, writer and educator, after an extensive analysis of the record of the first trial, witness evidence, court judgement, and the applicable legal principles.
At Oscar Pistorius’ bail application, the prosecution asserted that there had been an hour-long argument, non-stop fighting and loud talking between Oscar and Reeva before the shots that so tragically ended Reeva’s life. The prosecution pursued that assertion as the truth during the trial. Now Marnewick asks: What if the evidence to support that scenario was suspect?
The prosecution further pursued this assertion during the five days of Oscar’s cross-examination. There are reportedly legal, procedural and ethical boundaries limiting what a prosecution is permitted to do when cross-examining an accused. The question is whether those boundaries were exceeded during Oscar’s trial.
And was his evidence about his state of mind undermined by impermissible cross-examination, resulting in the Supreme Court of Appeal upgrading his conviction to murder in 2016? Were the country’s foremost criminal law professors right when they disagreed with the murder verdict?
On the whole, response to the book, which was published only a month ago, has been supportive of Marnewick’s arguments. However, as may be expected, they have also been vehemently dismissed by others.
Chris Marnewick practised as an advocate in Durban from 1976 until his retirement in 2012, and was appointed Senior Counsel in 1991. He is the author of several books, including two non-fiction works. His textbook, Litigation Skills for South African Lawyers, has been a prescribed text for the Bar Exams for the past 24 years.
The Rock ’n Roll Years: Cricket in an umpire’s orbit
Author: Telford Vice
Publisher: Naledi
A teacher by profession, Marais Erasmus fell in love with cricket when he was a schoolboy. If anything, his passion grew more intense after he left school and moved on to represent Boland.
But, it was as an umpire that he made his name, initially in first-class cricket in South Africa and then, from 2006 on, as a full-time international umpire, affectionately dubbed the ‘poker-faced’ umpire.
As Telford Vice comments in his memoir, if he had been a painting, it would have been titled ‘Still Life with Wide-brimmed Hat’. On the other hand, off the pitch, he exudes enthusiasm and bonhomie, all signs of emotional self-control gone.
In 2007, to the shock of his wife, Adèle – also a teacher – he resigned from his job to devote himself full-time to umpiring, on the pitch and as the television third umpire. Hence the title of the book, pointing to the request for the television director ‘to rock ‘n roll that again for me, please’.
In 2010, he was appointed to the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) elite panel of umpires and he stood in four editions of the men’s 50-over World Cups between 2011 and 2023. He officiated in 82 World Cup matches.
In South Africa, he was elected six times as Umpire of the Year, and on the international stage, three times – in 2016, 2017 and 2021. As he modestly states, “Umpires are all human; we make mistakes, but fortunately, I made relatively few of them.”
His favourite contest was the 2019 World Cup at Lord’s in the UK, when he was the first South African to be an on-field umpire in the 50-over World Cup final. In fact, he loves everything about Lord’s, the home of cricket.
On the other hand, in India, where cricket is at its most passionate, spectators are extremely knowledgeable, as well as extremely vocal, and umpires have a hard time if they make an error of judgement.
Marais has umpired eight matches between India and Pakistan, and although their countries are in ongoing conflict with each other, there is no sign of animosity on the pitch.
Sixty percent of the games he umpired were played abroad. Now that he and Adèle have retired to Hermanus, he is determined they will spend quality time together – when he’s not on the golf course – and when they travel, it will be for pleasure alone.
For the aficionado, the book is filled with statistics, but cricket lovers as well as those who know a little about the game will enjoy the many anecdotes related to Marais’ fascinating career.
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