It puts defeat on the rugby field into context.
Springbok winger Bryan Habana today paid tribute to a South African rugby coach who was murdered in horrendous circumstances in Johannesburg last weekend.
Zukisa Kela and his wife, plus another married couple, were walking through a park on Saturday night when they were attacked by a gang of 12 people. The two men were tied up and thrown into a lake while one of the women was raped.
The other managed to escape and raise the alarm but it was too late for the men, who both drowned – Kela’s last words being “Long live the Springboks”.
South Africa struggles with terrible social problems and a very high crime rate but Habana hopes the team’s Rugby World Cup campaign can bring people together. The Springboks play defending champions New Zealand on Saturday in Twickenham.
“On behalf of the Springboks and South African rugby to Zukisa Kela and his family for the tragedy that happened over in South Africa, our thoughts and prayers are with you,” Habana said.
“It is never nice being able to hear that, but to see the support and passion he had for the Springboks makes the reason we play this game, the reason we play for South Africa and play for our country so much more special. Upon drowning his last words were Viva maBokoboko viva. That passion and pride he showed for South Arica in his last moments was pretty special.
“To his family, friends and the school where he taught at, we are thinking of you. You are in our prayers and hopefully we can continue to do our country proud. Hopefully by doing what we do on Saturday we can bring a country together, unite a country and make sure that whatever happens back home, people have some form of hope. From a Springbok point of view, we are going to go out there on Saturday and hopefully instil some pride back in this jersey.”
