Durban - Scores of people attended the funeral of Pietermaritzburg United midfielder, Mondli Cele, 27, at Folweni sport ground on Saturday.
Cele and SABC journalist Delisile Ngwenya died in a car accident on Sunday after he lost control of the car in College Road in Pietermaritzburg, the car landing in the river. Two women survived the crash.
Those who attended the funeral, south of Durban, included Bafana Bafana coach Shakes Mashaba, former police commissioner Bheki Cele, soccer players, and the Pietermaritzburg United management.
Most of the speakers spoke about how Cele had played well in last Saturday’s match where he scored the opening goal against Orlando Pirates. He was excited and made everyone proud, they said.
Premier Soccer League boss Ronnie Schloss said he could not believe it when he received the tragic news a few hours after the match at the Harry Gwala stadium in Pietermaritzburg that Cele had died.
“He was selected to be part of the final squad – and he played well. We all watched his last performance where he excelled and sadly things changed tragically, but we can think of the positive. Let’s remember his last moment on the pitch where he scored the first goal,” said Schloss.
Mourners included a mix of fans from different teams who sang football and gospel songs to celebrate Cele’s life.
Cele’s friend, Gipha Ngcoba said Mondli had told him, he was going to die. “It looks like Mondli knew his days were numbered in the world. He was going to die because after he had paid lobola for his fiancée in December, he said, he had done everything he needed to do for this world and was going to die. When I asked why he said that, he responded that it was a family matter.”
He leaves behind his fiancée, parents, two children and siblings. His family said they had lost their breadwinner, Cele was everything to them.
Sunday Tribune