Johannesburg – Former Bafana Bafana player John “Shoes” Moshoeu was one of South Africa’s sport heroes and contributed a lot to sports, former president Thabo Mbeki said.
”I can never forget Bafana Bafana’s victory in the Africa Cup of Nations in 1996. That victory, in which Shoes played no small part, served to inspire our nation’s hope and confidence in its future at the critical moment of democracy’s dawn,” Mbeki said in a statement.
”Accordingly, I would like to convey my deepest condolences to Shoes’ family, his friends and the entire South African soccer and sporting fraternity here at home and abroad.”
Moshoeu died on Tuesday at Morningside Clinic in Sandton.
The 49-year-old Moshoeu had been battling cancer for some time and was in and out of hospital in the past few months.
His career blossomed when he joined Giant Blackpool and then moved to Kaizer Chiefs. He did not stay long as his talent was noticed overseas where he made a big money move to Turkey playing for Genclerbirligi, Fenerbahce and Bursaspor.
Moshoeu will be remembered as one of the driving forces that helped Bafana Bafana win the Africa Cup of Nations title in 1996 on home soil. – ANA