The Kaapse Klopse fraternity sadly bids farewell to one of its stalwarts and a true gentleman of the sport, Boeta Abubakr Boebie Schloss who recently passed away.
Boeta Boebie was the chief director and soul of the Juvie Boy Entertainers.
He was also a community activist and businessman and died in the holy city of Medina in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday afternoon.
Boeta Boebie was a bilaal at Masjidul Quds, and many will remember his melodious calls to prayer.
He was in the Saudi Kingdom with his mother and wife where they were going to perform an umrah(holy pilgrimage).
It’s understood he had a heart attack after fajr(morning prayers) in Medina and was hospitalised.
Doctors performed a triple bypass heart surgery on him last Sunday, but he did not make it and passed away on Tuesday.
The team of Mawlid SA recalls his last words to them before he left on his holy journey: “This is how Allah plans it.”
RECALL: Mawlid SA had a last experience. Picture: Supplied.
I spent three seasons at Juvies and one of the main reasons I went back every year was because of this great man.
No matter how tough the season would be as a coach and Moppie singer at the Juvies, it’s what happened at the end of the season that always moved me and made me give it another chance.
Besides the talented singpak pulling off the Moppie on competition day, besides winning four first prizes in three years, besides the Juvies being a people’s team, at the end of my performances there was always one thing that stood out for me: Boeta Boebie Schloss, whom I did not see throughout the year at the klopskamer, would come from the VIP lounge all the way to the field, and with a caring smile, start hugging his singpak with a satisfied look on his face.
For the three years I was there, he would always find me, grab me and hug me as if I was his child and lift me off the ground.
No matter how we sang - good or bad - Boeta Boebie made me feel appreciated and important and that inspired me to go back to the Juvie’s every single year.
My wife always told me, “ Yoh, Waseef, we can’t leave Juvies”, and it was just because of Boeta Boebie. She, too, admired him for his soft heart.
He always had a mashallah noor(light) on his face, and in a sport where bragging is part and parcel of the game, Mr. Schloss always remained humble and never allowed the klopse game to let him lose sight of what is really important, and that is the afterlife, and that the Almighty must be happy with one’s character.
The human being cannot think without its mind or feel without its heart but without our souls, we are lifeless.
The Juvie Boys will go on and remain a force to be reckoned with, but they have lost a part of their soul.
This was evident on social media when news of Boeta Boebie’s death broke, and beautiful messages of support and condolences started pouring in on Facebook, with nearly every person commenting on his beautiful character.
I eventually left the Juvies for business reasons.
TRIBUTE: Juvie Boys lost their soul man. Picture: Supplied.
Usually, this will earn you an “attitude” from directors who now automatically see you as a rival, but this was not the case with Mr. Schloss.
He got me at the stadium and still greeted me with a handshake and hug, showing that his appreciation for what I had brought to his team was being remembered long after I left them.
This to me speaks volumes about his wonderful character.
I will remember Boeta Abubakr Boebie Schloss in the same way and tell my kids about him when they are old enough to understand how he inspired me to be a better sportsman and an even better human being.
With that said, the klopse game is becoming very competitive but I hope the example Boeta Boebie left behind will be his legacy; that being that we are slaves of the Almighty first before we are rivals of the klopse game.
May the Almighty be pleased with Boeta Boebie and grant him Jannah in sha Allah ameen, and grant his family and friends contentment in their hearts.
We will surely miss Boeta Boebie and he will always be remembered.