DURBAN - The football fraternity in South Africa is mourning the death of Free State Stars chairman Mike Mokoena.
The Premier Soccer League (PSL) confirmed the news in a press release statement on Wednesday.
The 68-year-old, Mokoena was one of the longstanding members of the Executive committee of the National Soccer League (NSL). The cause of death is unknown.
Mokoena founded QwaQwa Stars back in 1977 in a small village of Makwane.
The club was promoted in to the National Premier Soccer League in 1986 and in 1994 won the Coca-Cola Cup.
"He shined a spotlight on a little known town in South Africa. He literally put Qwa Qwa and the town of Bethlehem on the map," the PSL said in a statement.
"The economic activity generated by Free State Stars in that part of our country is a powerful legacy of a passionate man that always maintained that 'where there is a will, there is a way'."
Under the leadership of Mokoena, Stars turned raw talent in to superstars. Players such as Steve Komphela, Serame Letsoaka, Siphiwe Tshabalala, Mpho Makola, Sithembiso Ngcobo, Edward Manqele and Thabo Matlaba were all discovered by Stars.
These stars dazzled went on to earn international caps with Bafana Bafana.