The 154th Soweto derby between Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs might have been postponed, but supporters of both clubs yesterday turned the atmosphere in the Standard Bank Arena into one fit for a clash between the two titans.
Yesterday’s memorial service was organised not only to eulogise Bafana Bafana and Orlando Pirates captain Senzo Meyiwa but also to honour female welterweight boxer Phindile Mwelase and middle -distance runner Mbulaeni Mulaudzi, who both died at the weekend.
Mwelase, 31, died at the Steve Biko Academic Hospital in Pretoria on Saturday after being in a coma for over two weeks.
This was after she was knocked out in a fight against Liz Butler.
Mulaudzi, 34, died in a car crash the day before. Meyiwa was shot dead in Vosloorus on Sunday night.
The 6 300-capacity venue was almost full, with the supporters of the two soccer clubs in the majority.
They sang: “USenzo lo. Abamaziyo, abakaze bambone [This is Senzo. None has seen his like before].” They also sang Shosholoza, whistled and blew their vuvuzelas.
SA Football Association president Danny Jordaan promised Meyiwa’s parents, who were at the service, that the soccer governing body was pushing for a “Senzo Meyiwa gun law”.
“[This] must take all the unlicensed and illegal firearms off the streets. We must take those guns to the furnace and build a statue of Senzo Meyiwa,” he said.
Kaizer Chiefs captain Itumeleng Khune told of how, when he was promoted to the senior squad at Chiefs, he walked several kilometres to share the news with his friend, Meyiwa.
He said to guffaws: “I got there and I told him I’d been promoted. He was happy for me, and what did I do? I bought him a KFC to celebrate. That was in 2004. A year later, he walked all the way from Mayfair to Auckland Park to celebrate his promotion with me. Guess what, he bought me? A KFC. That’s how close we were.”
Awards-winning gospel star Sifiso Ncwane belted out his moving hit, Kulungile Baba .
Said Chiefs marketing manager Jessica Motaung: “This is not about rivalry. It’s about supporting the sporting fraternity as a whole. It’s about celebrating heroes who have contributed through their hard work and dedication, and whom we’ve lost so untimely.”
Pirates fan Eunice Lithako of Thokoza said : “We send our condolences to the Meyiwa family. We also feel your pain. May his soul rest in peace, we will always love him. We have many memories of him.”
source- timeslive