Athletic champion held SA’s flag high
was on the rise in his football career. He cemented his place as the goalkeeper of the national team and was also handed the captain’s ar mband by Bafana coach, Shakes Mashaba.
“It is a massive loss for both his club, Orlando Pirates and country. He was just beginning to show his real potential both as a player and leader,” Makaab said.
Meyiwa played his final game last Saturday in a quarter-final game against Ajax Cape Town in the Telkom Knockout Cup. Pirates emerged victorious, defeating their Cape Town rivals 4-1.
Meyiwa was set to play his next game against Soweto rivals Kaizer Chiefs this afternoon.
“Senzo was on the rise. He was patient at both Pirates and Bafana and waited for his chance,” Makaab said.
“When he was given the number one jersey, he refused to let it go. He was only at the start of a great upward path, sadly cut short by a lack of respect for human life in our country, by certain people.”
Meyiwa was further described by Makaab as a beautiful individ- ual off the pitch.
“The Senzo that I knew was funny, emotional, respectful, charming and had an infectious smile: a beautiful human being.”
He said he would always remembered and cherish Meyiwa’s celebrations when his team had scored a goal. “The sight of him celebrating whenever his team scored a goal showed the kind of passion he had for the game of football. I will never forget that.”
Meyiwa will be buried at the Chesterville Heroes’ Acre in his home town of Durban today. His funeral will be at the Moses Mab- LAST Friday, South Africans were hit by the shocking news that former world 800m champion and Olympic silver medallist Mbulaeni Mulaudzi had died in a car accident.
The 34-year-old retired athlete was killed when his car overtur ned on a curve on the R555 in Mpumalanga.
Details of the accident suggested that he lost control of his vehicle while heading for an Athletics South Africa meeting in Joburg.
Mulaudzi, who carried the South African flag in the opening ceremony at the Athens Olympic Games in 2004, won his silver medal at the same games, having picked up a Commonwealth gold in Manchester two years earlier.
He was ranked the top 800m runner in the world in 2006 and after overcoming a succession of injuries, won the 2009 World Championship title in Berlin. Mulaudzi retired from athletics last year.
Born in the village of Muduluni in Limpopo, Mulaudzi became South Africa’s first black athlete to be ranked number one in the world.
Along with Bevil Rudd (1920), Hezekiel Sepeng (1996, 1999) and Johan Botha (1999, 2001), Mulaudzi is one of only four South African men who have won an 800m medal at a global championship.
He will be laid to rest in his home town of Muduluni this afternoon.