28th October, 2014
The Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, has commiserated with the South African Football Association (SAFA) over the tragic death of the Bafana Bafana Captain, Senzo Meyiwa.
Meyiwa, also captain of top club, Orlando Pirates, was murdered on Sunday night at the house of his girlfriend and mother of his child, in Vosloorus, outside Johannesburg.
In a letter signed by General Secretary, Barrister Musa Amadu, the NFF mourned deeply with SAFA over the tragic death of the 27-year old, who was one of the glowing stars of South African football.
“The Nigeria Football Federation and the entire Nigeria football family is in deep mourning over the killing of the 27–year old Orlando Pirates’ and Bafana Bafana number one goalkeeper and Captain, who still had his life ahead of him. The snuffing out of the life of one of the glowing stars of South African football is as tragic as it is unfortunate.
“We note that he was murdered by gunmen in the apartment of the mother of his child, and it is our hope and prayer that the security agencies will bring the perpetrators of the terrible act to justice in quick time.
“Senzo Meyiwa’s killing has come at a time that the Bafana Bafana are in good standing to qualify for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations finals and at a time that South African football at senior level is looking to be on true revival path. This makes his tragic departure much more painful”.
It would be recalled that Meyiwa had kept clean sheets in all four matches played by the Bafana Bafana so far in the qualifying series for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations, helping South Africa to maintain its place on the top of Group A (which also has Nigeria, Sudan and Congo).