Soccer officials were left dumbfounded when informed on Saturday night about the untimely death of the Orlando Pirates prolific striker Lesley ”Slow Poison” Manyathela.
Manyathela, affectionately known as ”Slow Poison” died in a car accident on Saturday night on N1 outside Musina, Limpopo police said.
Manyathela (22) was travelling to Musina having played for his club against Jomo Cosmos in the SAA Supa 8 cup at the Rand Stadium in Johannesburg. Orlando Pirates lost the game 2-1 with Manyethela scoring the Buccaneers goal from the penalty spot in the 89th minute.
”It is a very sad moment for me, for us; Manyathela was like my son,” said Pirates official Augusto Palacios, the man who discovered the player at the club’s development side in 1999.
The Peruvian born naturalised South African citizen and former Pirate coach recalled how he asked chairman Irvin Khoza to come and watch the talented Manyathela.
”He never looked back and he was the best player.”
Captain Ailwei Mushavhanamadi said Manyathela lost control of his vehicle which then overturned. The player died at the scene. He was travelling with two other people; one was reported to be in a critical condition while the other one sustained slight injuries. The accident happened at 10.30pm.
Palacios said Manyathela wanted to drive in his own car when the team left from their hotel on Saturday morning to go to Rand Stadium for their SAA Supa 8 game against Jomo Cosmos.
But the strict Palicios said he made it clear to the player that he wouldn’t hear of it.
”I drove his car and let him go with the team in a bus. He did not tell anyone that he was going to drive to Musina. All I know is he was supposed to come back for Bafana Bafana on Sunday,” said Palacios.
Kaizer Chiefs reacted with shock and disbelief when informed about the sudden death of Manyathela.
Bobby Motaung, the son of Chiefs owner Kaizer, who was struggling to come to terms with the sad news, was at a loss for words.
”Oh God, I do not know what to say,” he said fighting tears. ”This is a disaster. We were watching him when they played Jomo Cosmos on Saturday and now he is dead.
”This is a great loss to the entire nation. He was a national asset. It is not Orlando Pirates’ loss only, but for us all soccer enthusiasts,” he said.
Motaung, whose team will face Wits University in the Supa 8 game in Orkney on Sunday, said he did not know how his players would take the sad news.
Nastasia Tsichlas, who spearheads Sundowns Football Club, also reacted with horror to the news that the highly talented young Pirates player had died.
”It is such a great loss,” said a tearful Tsichlas.
”What I liked about him was that he was quiet and disciplined, modest and talented. There was something soft, different, in his face. His skills were fantastic.”
Tsichlas described Manyathela as a strong, skillful player who knew how to stay in the box and score.
”We don’t have many players like him. I think this man was one of the best strikers I ever saw. I am very upset and my condolence go to Pirates and to the family,” she said.
Manyathela featured prominently in the Bafana Bafana, national under-20 and under-23 teams. His blossoming career saw him scoop the Premier Soccer League Top goal scoring award in the past season for having scored 18 goals
The charismatic player was born on September 4, 1981 in Limpopo Province.
He played 105 games with his country’s youth U-20 and men’s national team. He ended the latest season as a leading goal scorer in the South African league. – Sapa