South Africa
football captain Senzo Meyiwa has been shot dead in Johannesburg only
hours after playing a match, police have said in a statement.
The 27-year-old was pictured looking happy with on-off girlfriend Kelly Khumalo, a South African pop star, earlier on Sunday.
Meyiwa,
who played for Orlando Pirates, was shot dead when intruders entered
his girlfriend's house in Vosloorus, a town 20 miles south of
Johannesburg.
The
previous day he captained his side as they advanced to the semi-finals
of the South African League Cup, defeating Ajax Cape Town 4-1.
Senzo Meyiwa's girlfriend Kelly
Khumalo, a South African singer posted this picture with him on Sunday,
hours before he was shot dead
The goalkeeper pictured with Wayne Rooney following a match between Manchester United and the Orlando Pirates in 2008
Meyiwa posed with his opposite number's shirt after meeting fellow keeper 'my hero Iker Casillas' last year
Meyiwa was captain of the national side and is pictured with team mates from recent games in the Congo
The 27-year-old had captained South Africa in their last four matches in the African Nations Cup qualifiers
The South African police took to
twitter to break the news, breaking protocol to inform the South African
people of the keeper's death
The police asked for calm after breaking news of the incident in Johannesburg tonight
The police account emphasised their desire to bring the killers to justice, after suspects fled the scene
The police have asked the public to assist them in bringing those responsible to justice
Meyiwa was in action last night when he helped his team the Orlando Pirates defeat Ajax Cape Town 4-1
Meyiwa's club, the Orlando Pirates, issued a statement following the death of their captain tonight
The goalkeeper had played for the Orlando Pirates, based in Soweto, Johannesburg, his whole life
'We
can confirm that Bucs (Pirates) keeper Senzo Meyiwa has been shot and
sadly declared dead on arrival at hospital,' the South African Police
Service (SAPS) said on its twitter feed.
The South African goalkeeper was reportedly shot in the chest at his girlfriend's house in Vosloorus.
According
to the South African Police Service, two men entered the house, around
20:00 (18:00GMT), while a third man remained outside.
All three fled after shots were fired, in what local media reports say was an attempted burglary.
The gang arrived demanding Meyiwa's mobile phone, according to one report.
His
club said in a statement: 'The Orlando Pirates family has learned with
sadness of the untimely death of our number 1 keeper & captain Senzo
Meyiwa.
'This
is a sad loss to Senzo's family especially his children, to Orlando
Pirates & the nation', said Chairman Dr Irvin Khoza.
The club will hold a press conference on Monday morning.
Meyiwa had played for the Orlando Pirates his whole life and had recently been called up to the national side
Meyiwa had an on-off relationship with pop star Kelly Khumalo.
He
admitted in an interview with Drum magazine that he lied to both his
wife Mandisa Mkhize and the singer, who he initially fell for at the
Feather Awards in March last year.
Khumalo
was initially reluctant to commit to a relationship but he eventually
won her over after telling her he was single. Khumalo gave birth to a
baby girl this year called Aphelele.
She
only found out he was married five months into their relationship, by
which time his wife had also heard about the affair when a colleague
showed her Khumalo’s Instagram account.
At the time, Meyiwa said: ‘This is all my fault. I lied to them [Khumalo and Mkhize].
'I
approached her [Khumalo] and she asked if I was married. But I wasn’t
man enough to tell her the truth. As a result, she fell in love with
me.’
He reportedly returned to his marital home in February.
Mendisa
was quoted in the Sunday Sun as saying: ‘I’m glad my husband is back
home. I’m loving every moment. Senzo is a good man who loves his family.
I support him in his career and we are now closer than ever.'
It
is understood that Meyiwa and Khumalo had recently rekindled their
relationship, with a number of Instagram photos uploaded by the singer
in the last month.
Meyiwa poses with his pop-star girlfriend a week ago, in a picture she posted on her Instagram account
Tonight, tributes were paid to the Bafana Bafana star, who had recently been called in to the national side.
Doncaster midfielder Dean Furman, a team-mate of Meyiwa for South Africa, said he was 'beyond devastated' at the news.
Furman
tweeted: 'Beyond devastated at the loss of our captain and friend Senzo
Meyiwa. Thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends at this
terrible time'.
Andile Jali said: 'Just got a call and I was sleeping but now I can't sleep.'
Former
national manager Stephen Keshi said: 'Sad to hear about the passing of
the Bafana Bafana Goal Keeper and Captain Senzo Meyiwa. My prayers are
with his family and the team.'
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'.
Sport minister Fikile Mbalula said the ministry would be in contact with Meyiwa'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.'
Meyiwa's
death follows that of another prominent South African sportsman, former
world 800 metres champion Mbulaeni Mulaudzi, who died in a car accident
on Friday.
Violent
gun crime in South Africa has been highlighted by the trial of
Paralympic runner Oscar Pistorius, who was found guilty of shooting dead
his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.
More
than 17,000 people were murdered in South Africa between April 2013 and
March 2014, an increase of about 800 over the previous year, according
to police figures.
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