Johannesburg - His lifeless body was found brutally hacked where he had been left lying, at the back entrance of a bar in Melville.
He had been stabbed multiple times in the chest and neck, the wounds so deep, his internal organs could be seen.
He had also suffered hack wounds on his arms and head. His body was then dragged outside and dumped on a pavement.
Thulane Popoyi (he also went by the surname Hendel) was with his friends at the Dollar Table bar during the early hours of Sunday morning when he disappeared at around 1.30am.
His friends had last seen the 29-year-old going to the bathroom, but he never returned.
His body was later found at about 5am outside the back entrance of the bar by a bouncer who was walking home from work.
Popoyi was a dedicated Pirates and Lions rugby player, who was loved by all those who met him.
His guardian and boss Colin Law said he was devastated by the loss. He described him as a great guy who had a good heart.
“He seemed to know everyone, everywhere. It (the murder) was such a senseless thing. He had no enemies,” he said.
Law said Popoyi’s body was allegedly dragged outside the bar and placed near a drain to get rid of the blood.
He said he was especially concerned because the bar had been operating illegally.
Ward councillor Amanda Forsythe has been trying to close the place down for the past year as it had no valid trading licence.
Police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Lungelo Dlamini said investigations were under way.
The Star