Motjeka Madisha’s father arrested after soccer player’s funeral
The late Mamelodi Sundowns defender was laid to rest this weekend following his passing in a car accident in December last year.
Motjeka Madisha. Picture: Philip Maeta/Gallo Images
Shortly after Motjeka Madisha’s family laid him to rest in Ga-Madisha village in Zebediela over the weekend, the Madisha family was allegedly intimidated by police members who claimed that the funeral had violated the Covid-19 protocols.
Videos of the incident have been circulating on social media, shows armed police entering the family’s home with rifles and threatening to arrest Madisha’s father shortly after they came back from the grave site.
Police confirmed to The Citizen that Motjeka Madisha’s father was arrested for contravening the Disaster Management Act, and that he had since paid the admission of guilt fine.
Even on the cemetery we made sure only 50 people attended. Other people just started singing at the gate. While police were there watching. Not at any point they informed the family of any violation of COVID-19 regulations. Motjeka Madisha was laid to rest in peace. pic.twitter.com/JUKjXDyVVT
— Vusi Ntimane (@manghumani) February 7, 2021
The late Mamelodi Sundowns defender was laid to rest this weekend following his passing in a car accident in December last year.
They couldn’t arrest Madisha’s parents due to the community resistance. They left and comeback after 2 hours with rifles and again the community stood up and chased them away. We even offered ourselves to be arrested instead of Madisha’s parents. pic.twitter.com/c2xVnpwTew
— Vusi Ntimane (@manghumani) February 7, 2021
According to people who attended the funeral, the situation was charged as police approached them aggressively, carrying firearms.
ALSO READ: Tributes pour in for late Sundowns defender Motjeka Madisha
They also said that police waited for Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi and Limpopo Sports MEC Thandi Moraka to leave before they started harassing the family.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo told The Citizen that he did not understand where the “police violence” claims came from.
“When the police arrived at the funeral, there were a lot more people present than the Disaster Management Act allows.”
He confirmed that police members were armed when they arrived at the funeral, saying it was standard practice for operational members of the police to carry firearms.
The Citizen was unable to reach the family for comment.
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