Enos Mafokate began his career as a stable hand and went on to become a world-class athlete during the apartheid era. In September 2026, aged 80, Enos died in Johannesburg – but his legacy endures through his horse-riding school and the generations of pupils he inspired
In a historically wealthy sport dominated by the white elite and plagued by its colonial reign, a Black athlete draped in a red coat represented his nation.
This is the remarkable story of Enos Mafokate and the legacy he worked so hard to create. A professional equestrian rider, Enos began his career as a stable hand and went on to become a world-class athlete during the apartheid era in South Africa.
In a shipping container that has been converted into an equipment facility, a display of riding saddles is made accessible to students at the Soweto Equestrian Centre