DURBAN - THE wife of slain former rugby player Lindani Myeni, who was killed by police in the US last week, poured her heart out on Wednesday in a video clip she posted on social media about the hatred her husband was subjected to because of his skin colour, body build and for being a foreigner.
She was no longer afraid of showing her face in public and feared no one.
“I have come to one realisation that I have nothing to worry about. My worst nightmare has come true,” she said in tears.
“I think my two-year-old son is starting to figure out that something is wrong. He is walking around, but he can’t see his daddy.”
She said they were always worried about the police in America, because the police treated Myeni as a weapon.
“Just because you’re strong and have a fit body it does not mean you’re dangerous just because you’re black.
“People would love to see you fight people in rugby, they would love to see you do boxing, and would love to see you as an athlete, but if you are just a regular human you’re a threat. I am sure that he (Myeni) just wanted to make conversation with these people.
“I get to talk to anyone. I get to step by the wrong house. I know that, if it was me, I would not have been dead. Some skinny guy I know would not have been dead. I am positive that if it was a white or Asian man, he would not have been dead,” she said.
The 29-year-old former KwaZulu-Natal rugby player, from Eskhaleni near Richards Bay, was shot dead by police last week in Hawaii during an alleged confrontation with the police.
Myeni was allegedly unarmed at the time.
Lindsay and their two children had been waiting for him to come home.
He had gone for a drive earlier that evening to get some air, but he never returned. His wife was informed of his death hours after the shooting happened.
She said her husband was not afraid of anyone and that is what she loved about him.
She thanked all the people who had shown her love and support.
She said people have come by her house a lot since the incident – from detectives to reporters, and hundreds of people sent messages and made phone calls, which she appreciated.
“I can't call none of you right now, I am not okay. I cannot share or hear how each person found out about how he died, and how much pain they felt, and how much they miss him, because I miss him more.
“So I am letting myself be selfish at this moment, and letting myself miss him without sharing my pain until I get back to the family. I need to be with family, with the people who knew him like I knew him. He was still a foreigner here,” she said.
She was preparing for the repatriation of her husband’s body so that it could be buried in South Africa.
She wanted to give her husband a befitting funeral, in the country of his birth.
“We are taking his body to be buried at home in South Africa, through the assistance of the gofundme initiative.”
The fund has more than 90 people donating money to assist the family.
“Thank you to everyone who asked how they can help. Thank you for all the support and love throughout these days,” she said.
The US embassy this week said they were monitoring the investigation by the Hawaiian authorities around the alleged murder.
Meanwhile, Premier Sihle Zikalala said, after a visit to the Myeni family on Wednesday, that the repatriation of Myeni’s body was underway.
Zikalala said they were working with the family to expedite the process.
“As the government of KwaZulu-Natal, we remain hopeful that justice will prevail and that Myeni’s killers will be brought to book soon, and bring to justice all those linked to his untimely demise.
“We will continue to work closely with the family to finalise arrangements for his mortal remains to be brought back with safety and dignity to KwaZulu-Natal,” said Zikalala. | Additional reporting by African News Agency (ANA)
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