Touching ceremony uniquely honours home town hero 'Ox' Nché

Widely acknowledged as one of the most vital cogs in the Springbok machine that won the World Cup in France, Retshegofaditswe “Ox” Nché's efforts have now officially been recognised in his hometown.

Hailing from the small town of Mokwena in Thaba Nchu, Nché returned to a hero’s welcome and honorary ceremony by the traditional community today.

Part of the famed Springbok “bomb squad”, after a match-changing performance against England in the RWC semi final, Nché is fast becoming a household name and just a few days ago joined hooker Bongi Mbonambi in receiving brand new sponsored Mitsubishis. He was rewarded with a new Triton Xtreme.

The new car that Ox Nche was presented with

“Mitsubishi Motors South Africa are really excited to have a formidable player like Ox Nché as part of the family and behind the wheel of a vehicle that we believe perfectly dovetails with his personality,” said Mitsubishi Motors South Africa.

Today, about an hour’s drive from Bloemfontein, queen Kgosi Gaboilelwe Moroka presented him with the inaugural Tlotlo ya Morafe wa Barolong-Boo-Seleka - Honour of the Nation.

It is the nation of Barolong-Boo-Seleka’s highest honour and is “granted to esteemed individuals who stand out for their exceptional achievements in their field and have served the nation and the interests of our country to the best of their abilities.

“This honour will serve as a beacon of hope to inspire hard work and commitment for all of us to aspire to our highest ideals as the nation of Barolong-Boo-Seleka.”

After already completing a huge Springboks trophy tour with thousands in attendance around the country, there was even a special bus set up, adorned with the image of the now local hero Nché.

Bus tour time ! #OxHomecoming #Borolong #ThabaNchu pic.twitter.com/a6llyuzxcd

— Oxkraal (@oxkraal) November 15, 2023