The captain of South Africa’s national soccer team was fatally shot when an armed man broke into the house where he was staying, according to local police.
Goalkeeper Senzo Meqiwa was killed around 8pm Sunday after two gunmen entered a house in Vosloorus township bear Johannesburg while an accomplice waited outside, the national police said on its Twitter page.
The three culprits then fled the scene on foot, according to the police, which offered a reward of nearly $14,000 for information leading to the arrest in this case.
Police said there were seven people in the house during the attack and the shooting followed an altercation.
Authorities said they will do everything in their power to find the killers.
It was not clear whether the house where Meyiwa was staying was targeted by thieves or gunmen with another motive.
Meyiwa’s South African soccer club Orlando Pirates said in a statement that it “has learned with sadness about the untimely death of our number one goalkeeper and current captain Senzo Meyiwa”.
“This is a sad loss whichever way you look at it to Senzo’s family, his extended family, Orlando Pirates and to the nation,” the Pirates chairman, Irvin Khoza, said.
This was the second death to hit South African sports in three days, as former 800m world champion runner Mbulaeni Mulaudzi was killed in a car crash on Friday.
Early on Monday morning local time, the youth league of South Africa’s ruling party sent condolences to the families of Meyiwa and Mulaudzi, saying “their premature passing is indeed a great loss to the country and sporting nation”.
Meyiwa’s international team-mate Dean Furman, who plays for South Africa and Doncaster Rovers, tweeted: “Beyond devastated at the loss of our captain & friend Senzo Meyiwa. thoughts & prayers are with his family & friends at this terrible time.”
Darren Keet, a fellow South African goalkeeper who plays for Belgian club KV Kortrijk and the national side, offered his deepest condolences to Meyiwa’s family and friends. He wrote: “Deeply saddening to hear this news about our captain and friend”, adding that Meyiwa would be “missed, but never forgotten”. He said Meyiwa’s killing was sad for South Africa.
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