Over the past ten years, South African sport has seen many highs and some lows, both on and off the field. The country has lamented the passing of many throughout the years, even as it rejoices in the ascent of its numerous sports heroes.
There have been a number of sporting heroes who have fallen in the recent ten years, from 2014 to 2024. These are a few of the fatalities that have shocked and shaken the South African sports community, and they are listed below. Here is a look at the area athletes that tragically passed away in the previous ten years.
Late South African Sports Icons
Soccer
Meyiwa Senzo (1984-2014)
The goalie for the Orlando Pirates and Bafana Bafana was shot and died on October 26, 2014, during a home invasion in Vosloorus.
Andries Oshwin (2003–2023)
On January 29, 2023, Andries, a player for Stellenbosch FC, was stabbed during a fight in a Klapmuts tavern. A week after being brought to the hospital, he passed away—just 20 days shy of turning 20.
Mtolo Siphamandla (1993–2023)
The midfield player, who was a member of the Premier Soccer League (PSL) Richards Bay squad, passed out during a team practice fifteen minutes ahead of schedule. Mtolo was taken to the hospital after having trouble breathing, but he passed away before they arrived.
Khomane, Papi (1975–2023)
On November 25, 2023, the former star of Bafana Bafana, Orlando Pirates, and Jomo Cosmos passed away from his injuries received in a car accident while traveling to Newcastle, KwaZulu-Natal. Khomane passed away when he was 48 years old.
Moeti, John (1967–2023)
One of the most respected players in South African soccer history, Moeti was a member of the victorious Bafana team that won the 1996 African Cup of Nations. Following an eight-month battle with an unidentified illness, he passed away on February 6, 2023.
Barker, Clive (1944–2023)
Barker was a well-regarded figure in the community and one of the best managers to have come out of South Africa. On June 10, 2023, at the age of 78, he passed away from Lewy Body Dementia.
Fleurs Luke (2000–2024)
On Wednesday, April 3, 2024, a single gunshot to the upper torso murdered the Kaizer Chiefs defender in what appeared to be a botched highjacking.
Mphonza Siphiwe (1979–2024)
Mkhonza was a notable journeyman who played for Bloem Celtic, Ria Stars, Golden Arrows, Kaizer Chiefs, SuperSport United, Maritzburg United, AmaZulu, and Black Leopards. The 45-year-old footballer who later became a commentator suddenly away on March 5, 2024, following a renal ailment.
RUGBY
Van der Westhuizen, Joost (1971-2017)
Joost van der Westhuizen, one of the best players to have ever played the game, was tragically diagnosed with motor neurone disease in 2011. Just six years after the start of the illness, on February 6, 2017, he lost his fight with it.
James Small, 1969–2019
Smal was a member of the Springbok team that won the World Cup in 1995, together with the previously mentioned Van van Westhuizen. At the age of fifty, he passed away on July 10, 2019, following a heart attack.
Chester Williams, 1970–2019
Just two months after Smal met his untimely end, Williams, a 1995 World Cup winning Springbok alongside Smal and Joost, passed away from a suspected heart attack. The starting wings for the Springboks in the 1995 RWC final were Williams and Smal.
Wannenburg, Pedrie (1981–2022).
One of South Africa’s most underappreciated legends was Wannenburg. At the age of 21, he made his Springbok debut in a Paris match against France in 2002. He was a mainstay of the Bulls squad that won multiple Currie Cup and Super Rugby titles in the 2000s.
He passed away in Houston, Texas, on April 22, 2022, after a 16-year-old who was attempting to elude a police stop crashed his automobile into an intersection. Wannenburg’s son suffered potentially fatal injuries while his wife and kids remained inside the vehicle.
Strydom, Hannes (1965–2023)
At the age of 58, Hannes Strydom perished in a car accident close to the town of eMalahleni in Mpumalanga on November 19, 2023.
Following Ruben Kruger and Joost van der Westhuizen, Strydom was the fifth member of the 1995 World Cup-winning Springbok side to pass away. William Chester Williams and James Small.
CRICKET
Mike Proctor (1946-2024)
The renowned cricket player from South Africa passed away on February 12, 2024, after suffering a heart arrest and being admitted to the intensive care unit of Busamed Gateway Private Hospital in uMhlanga.
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