JOHANNESBURG- Bafana Bafana captain Senzo Meyiwa was shot dead by intruders in a township near Johannesburg on Sunday in what local media reported as a botched robbery.
The Orlando Pirates goalkeeper was shot after two men entered a house in Vosloorus where Meyiwa was visiting, at about 8pm local time, South African police said in a statement.
The intruders fled, along with a third man who had been waiting outside. Other people in the house were unharmed.
Local media said the intruders had demanded a cellphone.
“We can confirm that Bucs (Pirates) keeper Senzo Meyiwa has been shot and sadly declared dead on arrival at hospital,” the South African Police Services (SAPS) said on its Twitter feed.
“We must emphasise break of protocol… We know there are upset and hurt pple (people) at the house where (the) incident occurred and at hospital. Calm please.
“We can assure all South Africans that we will do all we can to bring Meyiwa’s killers (to) book,” the police said in a further tweet, offering a reward of R150 000.
The 27-year-old captained South Africa in their last four matches in the African Nations Cup qualifiers without conceding a goal and played on Saturday when his club advanced to the semi-finals of the South African League Cup.
“This is a sad loss which ever way you look at it – to Senzo’s family, his extended family, Orlando Pirates and to the nation,” Pirates chairman Irvin Khoza said in a statement.
via iol
