Senzo Meyiwa of Orlando Pirates celebrates during the CAF Champions League match between Orlando Pirates and Zamalek on the 17 August 2013 at Orlando Stadium.
JOHANNESBURG - Bafana Bafana and Orlando Pirates goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa was shot dead, the SA Football Association confirmed on Sunday.
Safa spokesperson Dominic Chimhavi confirmed the 27-year-old had been shot dead.
The South African Police Service tweeted information shortly before midnight:
Info at this stage is that 7 men entered the house. There was an altercation. SenzoMeyiwa was shot. Suspects fled on foot.
— SA Police Service (@SAPoliceService) October 26, 2014The incident happened at around 20h00, Zamo Section in Vosloorus. Reward of up to R150 000 is on offer 4 any info that can lead to arrest.
— SA Police Service (@SAPoliceService) October 26, 2014Update: there were 7 people inside the house. Two suspects went into the house, one remained outside. The 3 fled on foot after the shooting
— SA Police Service (@SAPoliceService) October 26, 2014Captain of both club and country, Meyiwa played for Orlando Pirates on Saturday at Orlando stadium in their Telkom Knockout 4-1 quarterfinal win over Ajax Cape Town.
Banyana Banyana captain Janine van Wyk tweeted :
OMG more bad news! @BafanaBafana & @Orlando_Pirates Captain Senzo Meyiwa has been shot dead? I am lost for words! RIP Captain
— Janine Van Wyk (@Janinevanwyk5) October 26, 2014Fellow Bafana player Dean Furman tweeted:
Beyond devastated at the loss of our captain & friend Senzo Meyiwa. thoughts & prayers are with his family & friends at this terrible time.
— Dean Furman (@de4no22) October 26, 2014Former Pirates teammate, Andile Jali, now playing in Belgium for K.V. Oostende, said on twitter that he spoke to Meyiwa earlier on Sunday afternoon.
First Jali tweeted : "People of South Africa please tell me this is not true," before tweeting nine minutes later : "Just got a call and I was sleeping but now I can&39;t sleep because of what I just had [sic]." Jali ended with : "I can&39;t believe this now after talking to him this afternoon but y yyyyyyy."
It was the second death of a South African sportsman in a matter of days, after former 800 metre Olympic silver medallist Mbulaeni Mulaudzi was killed in a car crash on Friday morning.
Sport minister Fikile Mbalula said the ministry would be in contact with Meyiwa&39;s family before issuing a full statement.
"The Minister of Sports and Recreation, Minister Fikile Mbalula, has with deep sorrow taken note of widely publicised reports of the passing away of Orlando Pirates and South African Goal keeper, Senzo Meyiwa," the ministry said in a brief statement.
"The Ministry is currently reaching out to his family and his club and will issue a full statement in due course."
