South Africa and Orlando Pirates captain
and goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa was shot
dead late Sunday near Johannesburg, a
police spokesman told AFP, with club
officials describing his slaying as a “loss to the nation.
Lieutenant-General Solomon Makgale said
Meyiwa, 27, was gunned down at a house
in Vosloorus, a township about 30
kilometres south of the city, and declared
dead on admission to hospital.
“We can confirm that Bucs (Pirates)
goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa has been shot
and sadly declared dead on arrival at
hospital,” the South African Police Service
(SAPS) said on its Twitter feed.
Police later said there were seven people
inside the house, including Meyiwa, when
two suspects entered and another
remained outside.
Makgale said that the motive behind the
attack remained unclear
The incident happened at around 2000 SA
time (1800 GMT) in Vosloorus township,
added police who did not comment on
some media reports that the shooting was
sparked by a row over a mobile phone.
“There was an altercation and Senzo
Meyiwa was shot. The three suspects fled
on foot after the shooting.
“We can assure South Africans that we
will do all we can to bring Meyiwa’s killers
to book.
“A reward of up to R150 000 ($14,000) is
being offered for any information that can
lead to arrests.”
Pirates, one of the most popular and
successful South African football clubs,
also confirmed that the player had been
killed.
“@Orlando_Pirates family has learned with
sadness of the untimely death of our
number 1 keeper & captain Senzo
Meyiwa,” the club tweeted.
Irvin Khoza, the club chairman, added:
“This is a sad loss to Senzo’s family
especially his children, to Orlando Pirates
& the nation.”
Meyiwa played for his club in Soweto
Saturday and has been in outstanding
form for the national team during recent
2015 Africa Cup qualifiers.
The death of the national football team
captain is the second tragedy to hit South
African sport within three days after former
world 800-metre athletics champion
Mbulaeni Mulaudzi died Friday in a car
crash.
South Africa team-mates Dean Furman
and Andile Jali were among the first to
react to the Meyiwa tragedy on Twitter.
“Beyond devastated at the loss of our
captain and friend Senzo Meyiwa.
Thoughts and prayers are with his family
and friends at this terrible time,” tweeted
England-based Furman, who plays for
Doncaster Rovers in the third-tier in the
English league.
“Just got a call and I was sleeping, but
now I cannot sleep because of what I just
heard,” tweeted Jali, who moved from
Pirates to Belgium club Ostend this year.
After many years in the South African
football shadows, Meyiwa had a meteoric
climb to fame with club and country.
He displaced national squad goalkeeper
Moeneeb Josephs as first-choice at
Pirates, the only South African side to be
crowned African champions.
And a recent injury to South Africa captain
and goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune gave
Meyiwa a chance in the national team,
popularly known as Bafana Bafana (The
Boys).
New national coach Ephraim ‘Shakes’
Mashaba not only promoted Durban-born
Meyiwa to replace Khune but also made
him captain of a team that has been in
the doldrums for some years.
Meyiwa responded to his promotion by
leading the team to victories over Sudan
and Congo Brazzaville and draws with
Congo and Nigeria, a country South Africa
traditionally struggle against.
He did not concede a goal in the four
matches and if South Africa defeat Sudan
in eastern city Nelspruit on October 15 they
will qualify the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations
tournament.
He was also made captain of Pirates and
helped the club defeat Ajax Cape Town 4-1
Saturday in a South African League Cup
quarter-final.
Meyiwa gave a flawless performance and
the only Ajax attempt that beat Meyiwa
came from a penalty kick.
Full name: Senzo Robert Meyiwa
Date of birth: September 24 1987
Age: 27
Place of birth: Durban
Height: 1.75 metres
Club: Orlando Pirates (2005-2014)
Previous club: Cosmos (2002-2005)
International experience: South Africa
goalkeeper and captain.
Source: www.vanguardngr.com/2014/10/senzo-meyiwa-south-africa-captain-shot-dead/

So sad, R I P to d DEAD