Johannesburg - The country's top regional and national detectives have been appointed to investigate the fatal shooting of Bafana Bafana captain Senzo Meyiwa, national police commissioner Riah Phiyega said on Monday.
“A multi-disciplinary task team has been established to investigate the crime... led by Gauteng's head of detectives,” she told reporters in Johannesburg.
She said investigators were currently at the scene of the crime in Ekurhuleni - Meyiwa's girlfriend Kelly Khumalo's house.
The reward for information which would lead to the arrest and conviction of those involved, had also been increased from R150 000 to R250 000, she said.
Meyiwa was shot in the upper body on Sunday night at the house while he was with friends.
Phiyega said he died on arrival at the hospital.
One of the suspects was described as tall, slender, with a dark skin tone and dreadlocks. The second man was short, also had a dark skin tone, was short and well-built.
“We are appealing sincerely to the public to assist with the case. We believe someone, somewhere, somehow knows something about this crime.
“This type of loss is undesirable for our country and doesn't bode well for our image.”
She sent condolences to Meyiwa's family, friends, colleagues and fans.
According to earlier reports Meyiwa was shot dead by intruders when trying to protect Khumalo at her home in Spruitview, Vosloorus.
Seeing the terrified mother of his child staring down the barrel of a gun, Meyiwa reportedly tried to protect her from the gun-wielding intruder but was shot.
The attackers fled after taking only Khumalo’s cellphone.
Meyiwa died less than 24 hours after leading Pirates to victory against Ajax Cape Town, winning 4-1 to book a spot in the Telkom Knockout semi-finals.
On Sunday night, the street on which Khumalo’s house is situated was swarming with police.
Neighbours, some wearing gowns and nighties and wrapped in blankets, shivered in the cold.
Ekurhuleni mayor Mondli Gungubele and Gauteng MEC for Community Safety Sizakele Nkosi-Malobane also arrived at the scene.
The two later emerged from the house and Gungubele left.
Nkosi-Malobane said the family told them Meyiwa and a friend were visiting Khumalo on Sunday night.
Nkosi-Malobane said while they were eating dinner, two men stormed into the house, demanding cellphones, money and valuables.
The attackers pointed a gun at Khumalo and took her cellphone. Nkosi-Malobane said Meyiwa then tried to step in.
“They thought he was resisting when they saw him get up. He was trying to protect Khumalo but was shot in the back and the bullet exited at the front,” she said.
Nkosi-Malobane said although two people entered the house, they heard from neighbours that there were three people involved.
She said although Meyiwa was shot once, three shots were fired.
A source who was at the scene claimed that Meyiwa, his wife Mandisa, and other teammates had been at a birthday party on Sunday, but Meyiwa and a friend allegedly left his wife there and went to Khumalo’s house.
Another source who was one of the first people to arrive at the murder scene said Meyiwa’s family blamed Khumalo for what happened when they got to the house.
“They kept pushing her and pulling her by her hair, saying she knows what happened.
“The police… later came and diffused the situation,” the source said.
Meyiwa’s BMW X6 was parked outside Khumalo’s house, but she later drove off in it.
Although Meyiwa and Mandisa are married, the soccer star has a child with Khumalo.
Last year Khumalo and her younger sister Zandi were arrested for allegedly assaulting Mandisa.
Khumalo also has a son with rapper Molemo “Jub Jub” Maarohanye who is in prison for killing four children after he and his friend Themba Tshabalala drove into a group of pupils in 2010 while drag racing.
Meyiwa’s was the second death of a South African sportsman at the weekend after former 800m Olympic silver medallist Mbulaeni Mulaudzi was killed in a car crash on Friday morning. Mulaudzi will be buried on Saturday.
* Anyone with information can call Crime Stop on 08600 10 111 or SMS Crime Line on 32211