Two slain, two critical after attack

Survivors fighting for their lives, one was commentator at Titans game

ONE of two men fighting for their lives in hospital was the commentator when Tshwane’s cricket franchise Multiply Titans won the Momentum e Kasi Challenge and Jukskei Derby Cup against the Highveld Lions in Hammanskraal on Wednesday.

Titans chief executive Jacques Faul said: “One of the men in hospital was the announcer at the game. He has always been crucial to cricket development and has a sparkling personality, which was why we asked him to be the announcer. This has shaken us all.”

Faul said the entire staff were shocked after hearing the news of the attacks and deaths of their club members. He said all four men were involved in the club’s affairs.

“The club has gone from a high after winning the Momentum e Kasi Challenge Cup to an all-time low after this,” he said.

The two men, whose identities have been withheld for safety reasons, survived the horrific attack during which Given Nkosi, 24, and Charles Maseko, 25, were murdered at the Laudium Cricket Clubhouse hours after the game between Titans and their Joburg rivals. The Laudium Club is an affiliate of the Titans.

Speculation in the community is that the men were bludgeoned with training equipment. The bodies of Nkosi and Maseko were found at the clubhouse yesterday morning.

Police said the two men, aged 27, who survived were taken to a nearby hospital.

Nkosi’s mother, Linah, said her son said he would die playing cricket – and a cricket club was where his life ended. Linah said she would always remember her son by those words.

“He loved playing cricket from when he was eight years old, but he stopped briefly when got a job at Woolworths.

“But a while after getting the job, he informed the family that he was no longer happy there and wanted to return to playing cricket full-time for the Titans,” she said, with tears in her eyes.

“Whenever we asked him, he would always say he loved the Titans and playing cricket. He said he would continue to play until he died and that is exactly what happened.”

Jan Masemola, Maseko’s uncle, said all his nephew ever talked about was how much he loved cricket; so much so that he had moved out of home and went to stay at the clubhouse.

Masemola said he saw his nephew a week ago and he never mentioned being threatened or having any issues at the club. “The last time we saw him he was happy that his team was going to play a tournament in Soshanguve.

“We are surprised that this has happened without any warning or provocation. I feel sorry for my sister,” he said.

Police spokesperson Captain Augustinah Selepe said cases of murder and assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm had been opened.

Nothing was stolen from the clubhouse and the motive for the attacks was unknown.