Senzo Meyiwa’s Funeral: Celebrating the Life of a Hero

Saturday was a day of mourning in Durban as the KZN community took time off their schedules to pay their last respects on a man that, despite being very young was held in high regards by many people whose life he touched. The Moses Mabhida Stadium was filled to capacity as football fans across the rainbow nation bid farewell to their sporting icon.

Thousands of people gathered at the World Cup approved stadium as the police flew the country’s flag at half mast to show respect to Senzo Meyiwa, who was the national team and Orlando Pirates captain. He was shot by three suspects while at the house of his girlfriend’s mother in Vosloorus in Ekurhuleni in the evening of the 26th of October. One of the suspects, twenty five year old Zanokuhle Mbatha was confirmed to have been apprehended on Friday by the National Prosecuting Authority. He briefly appeared at the Boksburg Magistrate Court on Friday and applied for legal aid. The other two men who are part of the shooting were said to be still at large.

Leading personalities in both the political and football fraternity attended the funeral service on Saturday and they spoke extensively about the country’s shot stopper. The President of the South African Football Association, Danny Jordaan described Senzo as a man who was in tune with himself. The President of South Africa, Jacob Zuma said words could not express the kind of loss that the nation had endured. He added that no stone would be left unturned in the quest to find the perpetrators of this gruesome act. The coach of the national team, Ephraim Mashaba described Senzo Meyiwa as a kind person who would be difficult to replace. The Sport and Recreation Minister, Fikile Mbalula, said that Justice was working and that the country would not rest until Senzo’s killers were found and brought to book.

Meanwhile Senzo Meyiwa’s wife was present at the funeral of the soccer star in Durban. She was accompanied by members of Senzo’s family. She arrived as the coffin was brought into the stadium, draped with the South African flag, and taken through a lap of honor around the stadium. A moment of silence was observed as the the police lowered the national flag to half mast in respect of Senzo.