Born Samuel Shimbuli in Windhoek’s old location in Namibia’s commercial hub on 30 March 1955, the elder son of long-serving copper Micah Shimbuli, young Samuel was an upright boy destined for greatness from day one, having been raised in a strict home where discipline, respect for elders, and decent behavior were non-negotiable.
A proud product of Windhoek’s old location, Samuel was exposed to the rough and demanding rigors of survival at an early age during his ‘Kamatyona’ days, mastering the art of wangling his way out of tight corners in township life.
Many young boys turned to boxing as a vital tool for self-defense against bullying and protection to ward off the constant unprovoked harassment from young Afrikaner boys residing in Windhoek West, a residential area specifically designed for un-skilled semi-illiterate white Afrikaner railway workers.
Whereas many of his peers chose to chase an inflated piece of leather (football), the fearless light skinned boy resolved to trade leather in the boxing ring. Inspired by the exploits of local boxing hero Joseph Shikongo, aka ‘Joe Archer’, the lightweight amateur boxer hit the ground running, brushing his opponents aside with his trademark devastating hard punches that saw him finishing most of his bouts inside the distance via heavy knockouts.
In no time, Shimbuli was crowned Provincial champion in the lightweight division, much sooner than expected. He announced his arrival on the big stage at the South African Inter-Provincial Amateur Boxing Union Championship in Johannesburg.
The fearless, hard-punching Namibian made short work of his opponents en route to the final, where he was crowned the undisputed South African Lightweight Champion, equaling the feat previously achieved by fellow countryman Jan Leff in 1966.
He is the only Namibian to have won a provincial title.
Shimbuli ‘bliksimed’ the lights out of his out of sort trident of casualties, sending Sebata from Qwa-Qwa, and Fundama (Transvaal Boxing Union Club), to the canvas via first round knockouts before silencing Nomo of Eastern Province in the semifinal to book a place in the final against local favorite Moditle of Eastern Province.
The fired-up Namibian was in no mood to compromise as he casually side-stepped his opponent on points with a convincing victory of blood, sweat, and tears of joy to be crowned champion, earning the ‘sacred’ Springbok colors… certainly no mean feat.
Shimbuli was one of two Namibians at the August gathering alongside Rossing Uranium Boxing Club stablemate heavyweight boxer Abiud Kanambunga. Unfortunately, the latter could not return the compliment, having narrowly lost against Madlolo in the final after he sustained an injury to his right hand that prevented him from unleashing his full potential.
Following in his old man’s footsteps, Shimbuli took up employment with the South West Africa (SWA – Namibia) Police Unit. He was shipped out to Pretoria to undergo training in Johannesburg for three years. The Namibian established himself as one of the finest lightweight leather traders in the business across the Orange River. His cunning supervisors obligated him to fight for the South African Police Team.
Shimbuli became the South African Police champion, was subsequently crowned Northern Transvaal lightweight title holder, and claimed the South African Inter-Provincial Lightweight title in Bloemfontein in 1977.
However, his adamant paymasters would not let their most prized asset return home after completing his three-year police training in Pretoria. Shimbuli resigned from the Police Force and finally retreated to his original habitat, only to resurface at the booming mining town of Arandis, adjacent to the giant Atlantic Ocean.
He was offered employment in the Security section at Rossing Uranium Mine. Shimbuli joined the star-studded Rossing Boxing Club stable where he found himself rubbing shoulders with established boxers shepherded by Abiud Kanambunga, James Pekaha, Issaskar Kamukuyu, George Mukuahima, Ben Awoseb, Hiskia Swarts, and many promising leather traders under the stewardship of veteran mentor Henk Oosthuizen.
Namibia’s international boxing promoter Nestor ‘Sunshine’ Tobias, a former TCL Boxing Club stablemate, describes Shimbulu as a highly gifted boxer who packed dynamite in his deadly knuckles.
‘I’m utterly shocked and devastated by the death of Samuel Shimbulu. I would sincerely like to express my heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family. My relationship with Sam dates back to our time at the TCL Boxing Club, where he served as Chief Security Officer. Sam was an inspiration to many of us, a dedicated, hardworking athlete who excelled in his craft during the 70s and 80s. He stood out as an extraordinary individual, achieving much in a time when such accomplishments were rare, and for that, we shall remain eternally grateful for his selfless guidance,” he said.
As a sport loving nation, we have a moral obligation to emulate his admirable traits of discipline, professionalism, and amazing sportsmanship. Sam was not only a strict disciplinarian but a mean puncher, placing him amongst Namibia’s greatest athletes of all time.
Namibian boxing will remember him for his unwavering dedication towards the overall development of boxing, dedication, commitment in addition to his remarkable achievements in the ring during the colonial era. Sam will always symbolise excellence for overcoming tough challenges during an extremely difficult period.
“Nevertheless, he rose above dangerous obstacles to become South Africa’s amateur lightweight champion. As he transitioned to the ancestral realm, it may be reminded that there’s a reason for everything we should be mindful using our time wisely. May his soul rest in eternal peace,” reads Tobias’ well-crafted touchy message of condolences verbatim.