JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - SEPTEMBER 01: Anele Ngcongca during the South African national soccer team press conference at Milpark Garden Court on September 01, 2014 in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Photo by Duif du Toit/Gallo Images)
Mamelodi Sundowns veteran club official Alex Shakoane, who heads the supporter mobilization portfolio nowadays, has become the latest to offer his condolences to Anele Ngcongca’s family.
READ MORE: Ngcongca’s sister pays tribute to the footballer a giant has fallen
The former Masandawana and Bafana Bafana defender lost his life on Monday morning in KwaZulu-Natal on the N2, where was understood to be travelling to link up with DStv Premiership side AmaZulu, who had acquired his services on loan from the capital city-based side.
The vehicle which was found beyond repair is understood to be that of the lady who is said to have been behind the steering wheel. The said lady was taken to hospital as Ngcongca, 33, was declared dead on the scene.
“On behalf of our club president, Patrice Mostepe, the board of directors, the management, the technical staff under the leadership of the three coaches, the players and the supporters, we are saying you are not alone, we have also lost somebody who we loved very much. We are saying to the family, please know that the family of Sundowns football club, the yellow nation, is with you. Lala ngoxolo Anele,” he added.
Ngcongca’s friend and ex-teammate Ratshibvumo Mulovhedzi has paid an emotional tribute to the late Bafana Bafana and Mamelodi Sundowns defender.
The duo shared a house at FC Fortune, where Ngcongca started his professional football career in 2007.
“The news of Anele’s passing came as a big shock to me and as I’m speaking to you now, I’m hurt and I can’t believe that he is gone. My friendship with Anele goes way back to 2007 when we met at FC Fortune. We shared a house together in Strandfontein and that’s where our friendship developed. He introduced me to his family and his sister who was working at McDonalds at the time and we used to go there and eat,” said Mulovhedzi, who is now a football agent.
“I was there when he got a call from Arsenal asking him to come and join them for a trial. I told him to go there and be himself. I said to him, ‘Just stick to the basics and not try too hard to impress because the fact that they are inviting you over there means they have seen how talented you are”. He went to England and did well, but could not get the work permit and Arsene recommended him to Genk and that’s how he ended up at Genk,” added Mulovhedzi.
“Anele’s loss is a big loss not only to his family, but to the football fraternity as a whole, because Anele was a great guy. We will miss him and may his soul rest in peace,” concluded the Rush Hour Sports Management boss.
Having plied his trade in Belgium for Racing Genk for about a decade, Ngcongca leaves behind a legacy of three domestic league titles with Downs, and one league crown in Belgium, where he also collected two gold medals in the Belgian Cup. Ngcongca was also part of the Sundowns squad that beat Congolese side TP Mazembe in the Caf Super Cup at Loftus Versfeld in 2017.
For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.
Download our app and read this and other great stories on the move. Available for Android and iOS.
