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

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	Khayelitsha	An outstanding soccer player and athlete
George Bizos	Parktown North	South African activist and human rights advocate
Beatty Braaf	Grassy Park	Active member of the Retreat Swimming Club
Zunaid Bulbulia	Johannesburg	Financial Director at MTN
Edries Burton	Plumstead	A gifted Santos soccer team member
Peter Cox	Rosebank	Businessman and SA Olympic sponsor
Amien Dharsey	Retreat	No information provided
Zunaid Dinath	Johannesburg	Director of Operations at Vodacom
Magdalene Dladla	Kwa Nqetho/Ngcolosi	She has dedicated her life to establishing homes for the homeless and started the Happy Valley Clinic
Natalie Du Toit	Southfield	SA Olympic medallist (swimming) and national icon
Desiree Ellis	Hanhover Park	Former captain of the women's soccer team
Johan Engelbrecht	-	Director at Vodacom
Mzonke Fana	Khayelitsha	Khayelitsha boxer with amazing talent
Damaris O Fritz	Voorbrug	Health Committee Member from Delft
Caroline Gabuza	Ottery	Community worker who goes out of her help to help those in need
Gregory Garitsis	Orange Grove	-
Dawn Hare	Kalk Bay	Disabled community worker who is tireless in helping the community
Llewelyn Herbert	Pretoria	SA Olympic Medallist (400m hurdler)
Penelope Heyns	Pretoria	She is best known for bringing home the first Olympic gold medal for swimming after South Africa's re-entry to the Olympic Games
Ragmat Jaffer	Heathfield	-
Jordan Joannisdes	Johannesburg	-
Gail Johnson	Melville	Prominent Aids activist and Nkosi Johnson's adoptive mother
Donny Jurgens	Craford	Head of NGO-SCORE, involved in sport; Chair WP Sports Council
Archilles Kallos	Frenaye	-
Alexander Karakallos	Sea Point	An active member of the Greek community
Anita Kassel	Thornton	-
Marlon Kolbee	Retreat	Blind marathon runner
Nomathemba Kontyo	Cape Town	She 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 Koumandarakis	Cowies Hill	An active member of the Greek community
Marianne Kriel	Bellville	SA Olympic Medallist (swimming) (1996)
Rhea Kritas	Claremont	-
Talaat Laham	Johannesburg	Chairman and CEO for Cell C
Mark Lamberti	Johannesburg	Executive Chairman at Massmart
Paul Le Roux	Gardens	A local doctor that goes beyond the call of duty to help his patients
Mpho Lebogo	Rembrandt Park	Introduced 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 Lesea	Guguletu	-
Sakhiwo Luthuli	Shukushukuma	Outstanding athlete who has beaten the odds to succeed
Jacqueline Maarohanye	Naturena	Community worker in Soweto
Eric Majoli	Nyanga	Blind marathon runner
Miriam Makeba	Cape 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 Mangaliso	Manenberg	Weightlifter Development Officer @ Silvertree
Alan Marshall	Constantia	Dedicated 25 years to child health
Vuyeya Mathebula		Community builder
Jake Matlala	Winchester Hills	Apart 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 Mellors	Gordons Bay	Young man living with Aids and the founder of NAPWA
Nomsa Memela	Klippoortie Park	With the will to help people in need, she has reached out to people with disabilities and those suffering from HIV/Aids
Yong Ho Min	Johannesburg	MD and CEO for Samsung South Africa
Arun Nagar	Nairobi	Samsung Distributor in Nairobi
Hamilton Naki	Langa	One of the world's finest heart surgeons that Africa ever produced
Brain O'Connell	University of Western Cape	Rector of the University of the Western Cape
Omar Kemel	-	-
Jennifer Peers	Pinelands	Transformation through tourism: She started a project for battered women
Alban Peterson	Parow Valley	Popular South African gospel singer
Gert Potgieter	Faerie Glen	-
Malcolm Pringle	Newlands	SA Para -olympic gold medallist
Philip Rabinowitz	Hout Bay	A 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 Radebe	Johannesburg	A 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 Ramabulani	Thohoyandou	Won Businesswom Editorial contact Grapevine Communications Helen Bleasdale (011) 706 9600 Share this article Whatsapp Print PDF News News Company news In briefs New appointments New business Latest newsletter Most read MyBiz My newsfeed My profile Edit my profile My favourites My connections My groups My followers Following people Press Offices Press Office news Press Offices Press Office listings Press Office info Jobs Jobs offered Jobs wanted My saved jobs My CV Recruiters Companies recruiting Post a job Recruitment login Events All events Industry events Workshops Other Calendar Submit event Contributors Articles People Find people People you may know Invite people Edit my profile Companies Company listings Associations My company Press Offices Lifestyle Multimedia Image Submit gallery Biztakeouts Radio Advertising rates My Account Contact us TopicsNext Top stories Marketing & MediaSouth Africa’s most valuable brands add $14bn to their value, as MTN reclaims the no.1 spot Kantar 18 hours Marketing & MediaCreative Circle releases statement following Veli Ngubane Cannes video The Creative Circle 19 hours Marketing & Media#WPRD2026 | The golden age of strategic PR will elude government until leadership changes Lorato Tshenkeng 20 hours ICTVodafone ups forecasts to include Safaricom, see earnings at upper end of new range 16 hours Marketing & Media#Cannes2026 | Creative Circle Full Circle JHB features Direct and Print Lions 19 hours Promoted LifestyleWorld Sports Betting expands Club Privé with a reward that puts member wellbeing first World Sports Betting 1 day More news Legal Off-colour workplace joke amounts to R25k sexual harassment ruling Sandro Milo, Kyle-Terry Lamb, and Robyn-Leigh Lawrence 18 hours Marketing & Media #Cannes2026 | Think like a strategist. Get yourself to Cannes Lions Siwelile Thusi 20 hours Retail aQuellé Mzansi Mango spreads joy to 2 deserving fans aQuellé 1 day Entrepreneurship Research challenges the myth of the young entrepreneur 15 hours Retail South African shoppers aren’t spending less; they’re spending smarter Jerome Jacobs 19 hours Retail Retail’s next profit lever isn’t on the shelf 17 hours HR & Management New SA consultancy HPM launches to fix execution gap 19 hours Marketing & Media What's your A*Pop? South Africa deserves its own pop nostalgia Karabo Ledwaba 23 hours Retail Tiger Brands brings Mrs Ball’s production in-house at R200m Paarl mega-site Evan-Lee Courie 21 hours Education When bullying becomes lawsuits: What recent court rulings mean for SA schools 22 hours Logistics & Transport Sapics conference highlights African supply chain priorities 18 hours ESG & Sustainability New battle looms over future of Tokai and Cecilia pine plantations John Yeld 21 hours Logistics & Transport SA to continue US tariff talks following 12.5% levy 19 hours Tourism & Travel Table Mountain Cableway begins annual maintenance shutdown 18 hours Energy & Mining SA National Petroleum Company Bill flagged as “climate-blind” 19 hours Automotive Chinese companies are taking over the EV market. What’s behind their meteoric rise? Marina Yue Zhang 21 hours Healthcare Growthpoint introduces new health and wellness spot on the block 21 hours Agriculture Sugar imports nearly double as SA Canegrowers calls for tariff intervention 21 hours Property Rate hold gives homeowners breathing room, not relief Jonathan Kohler, Landsdowne Properties 21 hours ICT AI could lift sub-Saharan Africa economy 4% if power, internet improve, IMF says Colleen Goko 22 Jul 2026 Education Red & Yellow partners with AAAN to future-proof Africa’s creative workforce 24 Jul 2026 HR & Management 7 reasons workers suffer mid-year blues... and what to do about it Anja van Beek 24 Jul 2026 HR & Management Trusted Employer Scheme Phase II is open: All the finer details Lee Masuku and Taryn York 22 Jul 2026 Legal Inside the Precca Amendment Bill, part 1: Harsher sentences, lower thresholds Kim Rew 23 Jul 2026 Let's do Biz