Johannesburg - Sports lovers started arriving at the Standard Bank Arena on Thursday ahead of the joint memorial service for three of SA's sporting heroes who died over the past week.
Bafana Bafana and Orlando Pirates captain Senzo Meyiwa was shot and killed on Sunday evening in Vosloorus, Ekurhuleni while visiting his singer girlfriend Kelly Khumalo. It is alleged two men entered the house and shot him before fleeing.
One of South Africa's star athletes and 800m sensation Mbulaeni Mulaudzi was killed in a car accident in Mpumalanga. He was on his way to Johannesburg when he lost control of his car.
Welterweight boxer Phindile Mwelase died after being in a coma for two weeks following a match.
Fans donning Pirates regalia, and others wearing Kaizer Chiefs and Bafana Bafana shirts started taking their seats in the arena
while final preparations were underway.
Pirates fan Jacqui Dikane said she was at the arena to bid the fallen icons goodbye. She recalled the day she received the news of Meyiwa's death.
“My husband called me in the morning to inform me. I was really shattered. I ran to buy the newspaper for more information,” she said.
Dikane said it was very hard to accept what had happened as she was at the stadium the previous Saturday where Meyiwa played a crucial role in helping Pirates beat Ajax Cape Town.
“I really cried. I felt the pain in my heart. It was as though I had lost my own son,” said Dikane.
Sapa