Last week former Bafana Bafana player Eric September was sentenced to 27 years in prison for the murder of his fiance – he never revealed why he did it
Nawaal Deane
In 1994 Eric September was on the road to becoming a Bafana Bafana star, having made his debut for the national soccer side. At 26 years old he had played for teams like Kaizer Chiefs, Cosmos and Sundowns and had made the step up to international level.
He showed signs of having the potential to hit the international leagues – until a car accident ended all his dreams.
September, who came from a comfortably off family in Orkney, never played soccer professionally again and his life spiralled into a nightmare of events that still mystifies his fans.
Three years later he hit rock bottom when he was charged with the brutal murder of his fiance and mother of his child, Dikeledi Sebolai, as well as the rape of a woman he claimed was his girlfriend.
In August 1997 September was caught by the police while raping a woman, Justina Ledimo. He had offered her a lift home and on the way he brutally hit, bit and raped her.
Prosecutor Charmaine Labuschagne believes September’s fame blinded police to the man’s character. The sergeant who found them allegedly asked: ”What happened here, Eric?” and paid no attention to the woman, whose face was bleeding. People seem to believe famous people do not commit crimes – even when caught red-handed, she says.
September told police that he and Ledimo were lovers and admitted to hitting her – but said it was because he was angry that she had scratched his face. His picture was being taken for Bafana Bafana the next day and he needed to look his best. Sebolai, his fiance, paid his bail after he was charged with rape.
On October 1, just two months later, September repeatedly bashed Sebolai’s head with an iron ball, until her brains were spilled across the room. What exactly provoked the attack is not known, but the couple were seen quarrelling by the caretaker of her parents’ complex in Thabang. After 10 minutes September was seen driving off in his fiance’s BMW. Sebolai was found by the caretaker in a pool of blood and forensic tests showed that she had been raped as well.
September’s trial, which lurched from one postponement to another for three years, ended with his sentencing last week to 27 years in prison. Judge C Johannes Bosch of the Welkom Regional Court described the killing as one of the most ”gruesome, cold- blooded murders” he had encountered in his 30 years of practising law.
Due to the brutality and lack of motive for the murder and rape, Labuschagne told the court: ”The accused showed no remorse whatsoever and he should be regarded as a danger to society and therefore be removed for the maximum period of time.”
September smiled at her during the trial and shook his head during sentencing, Labuschagne said. ”He showed no expression or regret at what he did.”
In sentencing, Judge Bosch said: ”You are a former hero and you betrayed the public, which had high expectations of you.” The judge raised the issue of accountability by sporting personalities who think they can get away with anything.
The investigating officer in the murder, Anthony Motaung, paints a picture of a man who had lost touch with reality. ”When we arrested him all he discussed was soccer. He said he is a soccer star and that he still looked forward to playing professionally. He didn’t care that his fiance was dead.”
”It does not matter if you are soccer player, justice must be done,” says Sarah Sebolai, the older sister of Dikeledi. ”Why did he kill her?” she cried.
On the night of the murder September went to Sarah Sebolai’s flat in Klerksdorp, wearing a Kaizer Chiefs T-shirt covered with her sister’s blood. He told her that he had been beaten up by white men and he needed clean clothes. She asked him whether her sister knew where he was and he blatantly lied and said she did. During the trial he denied going to the flat, even though he left a set of keys with her.
September then surprisingly went to his parents’ home where he confessed the murder to them. His mother took him to the police station, where he was charged with murder. Both his parents testified against him, even though they paid for his lawyer.
September’s brother, a sergeant at the Orkney police station, refused to comment.
His mother was distraught and cried throughout her testimony, which was the crucial evidence used in his conviction. September, however, pleaded not guilty and refused to give a reason for the murder. He claimed to love Dikeledi Sebolai and wanted to marry her, as he had already paid lobola.
In 1994 he had an accident while driving to Johannesburg. The car capsized, causing serious injury to his leg and head. ”The doctor ruled him out and said he could not play soccer professionally again,” said Gareth Tshetlho, a friend of September’s.
September was a striker for Kaizer Chiefs and his career, according to club public relations officer Putco Mafani, was ”promising and he would have gone overseas to explore his full potential”.
Mafani remembers when September played he was very popular and quite a sociable person. However, ”he was like the typical township boy, wanting to make it big in soccer. Without soccer they have nothing.”
According to Sarah Sebolai, September lied to Dikeledi about why he needed the money for bail, and she found out later that he was accused of rape. ”He didn’t work or look for a job after the accident. My sister supported him and he still murdered her.”
He did not support his child, even though defence lawyer Dawie de Jager pleaded that his client was now the sole breadwinner. Labuschagne countered by saying that he should not have murdered the breadwinner in the first place. Sebolai’s mother now looks after their child.
The defence tried to put forward claims that the accident affected September’s brain, but these were dismissed after the evaluation by psychologists.
Mafani, however, acknowledges that the frustrations soccer players can feel over two years of not playing can be tremendous, but does not justify September’s behaviour.
Sarah Sebolai is still bitter and angry that even after the murder people still felt sympathetic towards September because he was such a good soccer player. ”If he comes out of jail he can play soccer and everyone will forget what he did.
”All his fans think it is okay because he is good at soccer – he can get away with murder and rape.”