Errol Tobias - Later Life

Later Life

Tobias worked as a brick-layer and later owned his own construction company. He is married and has a son, Sidney (Sid), who was selected for the Western Province Under-21 side in October 2010, while another, also called Errol, played for the Bloemfontein club Old Greys in 2004. Errol Junior was included at fly-half in the 2004 tryouts for the Cats Super 12 team, and was a replacement for the Leopards' during the 2007 Currie Cup season. In 2011 Sid Tobias played for the Sale Jets, for whom he scored a hat-trick in a game against Northampton Wanderers.

As co-commentator for provincial, Super Rugby, and test matches, Tobias drew positive comments from the public for his elegant use of Afrikaans, although others opined that he was not good at summarising.

On 8 November 1995 he became the first black mayor of his home town, Caledon. He had stood for election as part of the Caledon Community Association, formed in 1993, and which aimed to improve the welfare of local residents. Tobias' association won 5 of 13 available seats, and formed a coalition with the African National Congress. He committed himself to promoting racial reconciliation by running rugby training camps. During 1996 he lost his position when the local ANC elected Abe Botha as new mayor. Tobias, who continued as a councillor, initially criticized the new mayor for being part of the repression of "Coloured" residents during Botha's earlier terms as mayor from 1974 to 1981. Tobias later committed to co-operate with Botha for the welfare of the town.