Bafana captain for burial Saturday, as Pirates retire jersey number

South African football captain, Senzo Meyiwa, will be buried on Saturday in his home town of Umlazi after he was shot dead in an apparent robbery.

Meyiwa’s club the Orlando Pirates announced plans for his funeral on Tuesday.

It said it will be partly organised by the local government in the province of Kwazulu-Natal.

The 27-year-old goalkeeper was shot and killed in an apparent house robbery in Vosloorus township near Johannesburg on Sunday, leading to an outpouring of dismay and anger in South Africa.

Police have launched a huge operation to find three suspects in the killing.

Meanwhile, Orlando Pirates boss, Dr. Irvin Khoza, has indicated that the club will retire the number one jersey worn by the late Senzo Meyiwa.

“In these difficult time we need to stand together and honour the legacy of Senzo. He has left his mark and it’s up to us now to continue in his name,” Khoza said.

“No one can replace Senzo. And his jersey will never be worn by anyone else again,” he added.

Khoza paid tribute to the 27-year-old, asserting that he had exceeded expectations during his time at the club.

“Senzo, in a short time he spent with us, he achieved more than I expected,” Khoza said.

“He was a player in the Under-17 of the national team, he was in the Under-20s, he was in the senior national team. He was the captain of Bafana Bafana, he played for Pirates.

“He won the treble back-to-back, he was in five finals, he was also in the Final of the Champions League. For me there is no better achievement than that one.

“He was involved in all what I call trigger events, events that are changing the landscape of the game in the country.

“So Senzo was all part of this.”