Senzo Meyiwa

Senzo Meyiwa
Personal information
Full name Senzo Robert Meyiwa
Date of birth (1984-01-24)24 January 1984
Place of birth Durban, South Africa
Date of death 26 October 2014(2014-10-26) (aged 30)
Place of death Vosloorus, South Africa
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Playing position Goalkeeper
Youth career
London Cosmos (South Africa)
2002–2005 Orlando Pirates
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2005–2014 Orlando Pirates 109[1][2] (0)
National team
2013–2014 South Africa 7[3] (0)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.


Senzo Robert Meyiwa (24 January 1984 – 26 October 2014) was a South African footballer who played as a goalkeeper for Orlando Pirates in the Premier Soccer League,[4] and for the South Africa national team. He was shot and killed in a robbery on 26 October 2014.

International career

Meyiwa made his debut for South Africa on 2 June 2013 in a 2–0 away victory against Lesotho.[5][6] He was included in the South African squad led by manager Gordon Igesund for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations,[7] but made no appearances. For the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualification, he played three times, with his last match being a 0–0 draw against Congo on 15 October 2014.[8][9] He earned a total of seven international caps.

Death

On 27 October 2014, Meyiwa was shot and killed in Vosloorus during a robbery at the home of his girlfriend, actress and singer Kelly Khumalo.[10] He was declared dead on arrival at hospital in Johannesburg.[11][12] Three people were believed to have been involved in the shooting, and police released composite images of two suspects.[13] One suspect, Zanokuhle Mbatha, was arrested on 31 October and appeared in court, but he was freed on 11 November due to lack of evidence.[14] Meyiwa's death sparked outrage over the country's high crime and murder rates.[15]

As a mark of respect, the Soweto derby between Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs, due to be played on 1 November, was postponed.[16][17] President Jacob Zuma mourned the loss and called for Meyiwa's killers to be found.[18] FIFA president Sepp Blatter called Meyiwa's death a "senseless, tragic loss."[19]  Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas posted a picture on Instagram of Meyiwa holding Casillas' Real Madrid jersey that was exchanged when Spain played South Africa in an international friendly.[20]

Meyiwa was laid to rest in Chesterville, KwaZulu-Natal.[21] During the funeral at Moses Mabhida Stadium, his father, Samuel, was photographed greeting the crowd in attendance by leaning out his car window with his arms outstretched, which sparked an internet trend.[22]

Age controversy

In November 2014, it was reported that Meyiwa had apparently lied about his real age throughout his professional career.[23] According to his tombstone and the school register, he was born on 24 January 1984, making him thirty years old, and not 27, at the time of his death.

References

  1. ↑ "Senzo Meyiwa". www.nationalfootballteams.com. Retrieved 31 October 2014.
  2. ↑ "Senzo Meyiwa". www.mtnfootball.com. Retrieved 31 October 2014.
  3. ↑ "Senzo Meyiwa". National Football Teams. 2 November 2014. Retrieved 2 November 2014.
  4. ↑ "Senzo Meyiwa profile". MTN Football. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013.
  5. ↑ "Senzo Meyiwa profile". Kickoff. Retrieved 26 October 2014.
  6. ↑ "Lesotho 0–2 South Africa". Yahoo! News. 2 June 2013. Retrieved 26 October 2014.
  7. ↑ "Igesund announces Afcon squad". Kickoff. 30 December 2012. Retrieved 26 October 2014.
  8. ↑ "Bafana still control own destiny". News24. 15 October 2014. Retrieved 26 October 2014.
  9. ↑ Torchia, Christopher (26 October 2014). "South Africa goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa killed". ABC News. Associated Press. Retrieved 26 October 2014.
  10. ↑ "S Africa football captain Senzo Meyiwa shot dead". BBC News. 27 October 2014. Retrieved 20 November 2014.
  11. ↑ Johnston, Ian (26 October 2014). "Senzo Meyiwa shot dead". The Independent. Retrieved 26 October 2014.
  12. ↑ "Orlando Pirates And Bafana Bafana Goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa Has Been Shot Dead". South Africa. Retrieved 26 October 2014.
  13. ↑ "Senzo Meyiwa shooting: Suspect images released". BBC News. 28 October 2014. Retrieved 20 November 2014.
  14. ↑ "Suspect in court in S Africa over Senzo Meyiwa killing". BBC News. 31 October 2014.
  15. ↑ "Senzo Meyiwa killing sparks South Africa outrage". BBC News. 27 October 2014. Retrieved 20 November 2014.
  16. ↑ "Soweto Derby postponed". www.kaizerchiefs.com. 27 October 2014. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  17. ↑ Motsoeneng, Tiisetso (27 October 2014). "South Africa shocked by murder of national soccer captain". Reuters. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  18. ↑ "Senzo Meyiwa shooting: South African president leads tributes to goalkeeper". The Guardian. 27 October 2014. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  19. ↑ "Blatter pays tribute to Meyiwa". Sport24. 27 October 2014. Retrieved 28 October 2014.
  20. ↑ Nicolaides, Gia; Wort, Tamsin (28 October 2014). "SOCIAL MEDIA ABUZZ WITH TRIBUTES FOR SENZO MEYIWA". Eyewitness News. Archived from the original on 28 October 2014. Retrieved 28 October 2014.
  21. ↑ "Senzo Meyiwa's funeral: 'Mandisa, may God be with you'". Sunday World. 2 November 2014. Retrieved 3 November 2014.
  22. ↑ "#BBCtrending: Samuel Meyiwa and the funeral pose". BBC News. 5 November 2014. Retrieved 20 November 2014.
  23. ↑ "Newspaper: Meyiwa 'lied' about his age". IOL News. 23 November 2014. Retrieved 29 November 2014.
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