Unionist Sekgobela’s leaves gaping void in South African football

The gallant fighter succumbed to cancer he was diagnosed with in June 2013

Born: October 2 1971 Died: June 6 Funeral: Tomorrow in Lenyenye, near Tzaneen, in Industrial Street at 6am. Burial: Lenyenye’s Old Cemetery

The soccer fraternity has lost a gallant fighter after the death of Machete Elvis Sekgobela. Sekgobela succumbed to cancer at the age of 46. The former spokesman of the South African Football Players’ Union (Safpu) was admitted to a hospital in Krugersdorp, on the West Rand, where he died on Wednesday last week.

He was suffering from carcinoma, a cancer of the skin that had also affected his squamous cells.

Sekgobela was first diagnosed with the disease in June 2013.

Since then, he had been in and out of hospitals and had consulted with various doctors in his quest to be cured of the disease.

Born on October 2, 1971, Sekgobela started his primary education at Ramalema Primary School and later went to Lenyenye Higher Primary, before attending at Seboye High School, from where he obtained his matric in 1990.

All schools are at his hometown, Lenyenye, near Tzaneen. After passing matric, he enrolled at the University of Venda where he spent three years.

He later went to Johannesburg where he enrolled for a diploma in business management at Damelin College.

His passion for soccer also inspired him to establish his own club, Highlands Park, in his hometown.

However, the football club collapsed as a result of Sekgobela’s hectic schedule in Safpu matters.

His brother, Stanley, said the family was mourning a respected member who put their name on the map.

“The whole family is devastated after the death of my brother as he was a pillar of strength. Though we knew he was suffering from the cancer for some time, we never thought the disease would take him so soon,” said the grieving brother.

At the time of his death, Sekgobela was unemployed because of his illness .

He leaves behind his mother, Gladys, brothers Moses, Stanley and Sello. Sekgobela will be buried at the Old Cemetery in Lenyenye on Saturday.

The service starts at his home in Industrial Street at 6am.