The long-awaited repatriation of Zimbabwean professional boxer Ndodana "The Black Hammer" Ncube has finally begun to move forward, bringing a measure of relief to a grieving family that has endured weeks of anguish following his tragic death in South Africa.

According to information received from South Africa Tuesday, the post-mortem examination that had delayed the return of Ncube's remains is now expected to be concluded by Wednesday afternoon. Once completed, his body would be transferred to a funeral parlour while the remaining administrative processes are finalized ahead of his journey home.

In a gesture of solidarity, South African boxing promoter Jane Lubisi of Ilanga Boxing Promotions, working in conjunction with Boxing South Africa, has undertaken to provide a 13-seater minibus for mourners, a coffin, and graveside funeral equipment, including a tent and lowering machine.

The body is scheduled to leave South Africa late on Friday and is expected to arrive in Hwange, western Zimbabwe, on Saturday evening.

Family representatives said Ncube's remains will be taken to his rural home in Jambezi, near Hwange, where relatives, friends, and members of the local community will have an opportunity to pay their final respects. Burial has been set for Sunday at the family homestead.

Government officials, boxing administrators, fellow athletes, and members of Zimbabwe's sporting fraternity are expected to attend the funeral of a fighter whose life and career inspired many young boxers across the region.

Ncube, 29, was regarded as one of Zimbabwe's most promising professional fighters. Having risen through the amateur ranks with determination and discipline, he earned a reputation for his courage, resilience, and devastating punching power. His performances had begun attracting attention beyond Zimbabwe's borders, raising hopes that he could become one of the country's next major boxing exports.

His promising journey was tragically cut short following an international boxing tournament promoted by Ilanga Boxing Promotions at the Eastdene Community Hall in Middelburg, Mpumalanga, South Africa, on March 27, 2026.

That night, Ncube faced South African boxer Lunga "The Pressure Cooker" Sitemela in an eight-round super-featherweight contest. During the fiercely contested bout, the fighters accidentally clashed heads but continued boxing until the final bell.

Ncube was ultimately declared the winner by majority decision, securing what would become the final victory of his career which he, however, never lived to celebrate.

Moments after returning to the dressing room, Ncube reportedly began vomiting before collapsing. Ringside doctors and paramedics rushed to his aid and transported him to King Nyabela Hospital in Middelburg in critical condition. Further scans conducted at Witbank Provincial Hospital in eMalahleni revealed a blood clot on his brain and doctors immediately performed emergency brain surgery on March 28 in a desperate attempt to save his life.

For weeks, Ncube remained in intensive care, fighting the toughest battle of his life. He slipped into a coma and, despite brief signs of recovery that raised hopes among relatives and members of the boxing fraternity, his condition deteriorated. He died in the early hours of May 16, 2026, leaving behind a devastated family and a shocked sporting community.

The pain of his loss was compounded by the prolonged delay in repatriating his remains. Family members confirmed that his body remained in a South African mortuary for several weeks awaiting a post-mortem examination, a situation that deepened the suffering of loved ones desperate to bring him home and give him a dignified farewell.

Perhaps the most heartbreaking aspect of the tragedy is that Ncube died at almost the same time his family in Harare was celebrating the birth of his son. While one generation entered the world, another was taken away, leaving behind a painful reminder of life's fragile balance between joy and sorrow.

As Zimbabwe prepares to lay "The Black Hammer" to rest on Sunday, tributes continue to pour in from across southern Africa. Friends, fellow boxers, promoters, and fans remember not only a fearless fighter inside the ring, but also a humble young man whose dreams were still unfolding.

His story now joins the long and painful history of boxing's greatest sacrifices—a reminder of the immense risks athletes take in pursuit of glory, and the profound human cost that sometimes follows.