Brad K

There never seems to be a good time to talk about death.  There’s all the emotions that you feel and when it’s someone as ‘big’ as South African football darling, Senzo Meyiwa, it’s the emotions of the nation and the world’s football fraternity.   I’ve been reading #RIPsenzo tweets all morning and South Africans have forgotten about Oscar Pistorius, poor service delivery and the gold price, to mourn, shake their fists, and launch conspiracy theories.  Two things have occurred to me today in wake of the news of Senzo.  The first and most glaringly obvious is the love the nation had for this one man.  Someone who not everybody knew about until the 7am news this morning.  A man who inspired scores of young football enthusiasts, and the countless Orlando Pirates football fans, as well as those that followed their national team closely. The other really noticeable occurrence on a day like today, is that the nation of South Africa is again united and it took yet another tragedy.  The last time things felt like this was the 5th of December 2013 – the day that Nelson Mandela died.  Let’s not get the 2 men confused, there is no comparison, it’s just that that was the last time this country acted quite like this.  Sepp Blatter tweeted his condolences a few hours ago and from a football perspective, that is the right thing to do. Sepp and almost every recognisable sports star, from swimming, to golf, to cricket, to the National Olympic Committee.  Senzo Meyiwa was the national team’s captain and an inspiration to the nation.  The next game that Bafana Bafana was scheduled to play in the African Cup of Nations Qualifiers, was against Sudan.  If he had kept their opponents goalless,  he would have been only the 2nd South African goalkeeper in history to keep a clean sheet in 500 minutes of football.  So this man was the business, and his countrymen know they have been robbed.  For what?  A cell phone?  Police still seem unsure as to how it all went down last night but it would seem, for now, that it was a robbery gone wrong.

It seems like today has been one press conference after another, with the minister of Police offering a R250 000 (almost US$23,000) reward for information that will lead to an arrest. Shakes Mashaba, the national coach, admitted to having Senzo’s name at the top of his team sheet, and needed a break to wipe away the tears.  Few have been as vocal as the minister for sport and recreation, Fikile Mbalula, who said: “We’ve lost a role model, a patriot and a great winner. He dedicated his life to his teams.  Senzo worked for every accolade he achieved; he was a star and the criminals have robbed us of his brightness.  There is no grave big enough for Senzo.” Yes, this man is loved,  and the love is growing, even as funeral arrangements are made.

Why does it take a ‘national’ tragedy to create unity?  Crime is rife in South Africa and for once we agree that it seems to be out of control.  Will something be done because today we have a collective voice; one of anger and desperation?  Thoughts of life and death go through one’s mind and the confession that ‘it can all end in the blink of an eye’.  Do we need to prepare somehow for that day, since it might happen way before that old age we hope to achieve?  Today is a day of questions, and not all of them have anything to do with the late Senzo Meyiwa.  Are you ready, or does it not really even matter?  Perhaps you’ll rather just go about your business, waiting for the 6pm news for more info on what may have gone down south of Johannesburg last night; after all, it couldn’t possibly happen to you.