Luke Fleurs, Senzo Meyiwa and 3 Footballers Who Were Murdered After Kaizer Chiefs Defender Is Killed

Luke Fleurs, Senzo Meyiwa and 3 Footballers Who Were Murdered After Kaizer Chiefs Defender Is Killed

Byron Pillay
updated at April 4, 2024 at 2:02 PM
In this article:
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Kaizer Chiefs
South Africa
24
Supersport United logo
Supersport United
South Africa
21
  • The South African football fraternity is mourning the death of Luke Fleurs
  • The young Kaizer Chiefs player was shot during a hijacking in Johannesburg
  • Ghana's Robert Mensah was stabbed while trying to separate two men fighting

Another talented football player’s life has been cut short by a senseless murder.

South Africans are still coming to terms with the news that Kaizer Chiefs player, Luke Fleurs, was killed.

Luke Fleurs and Senzo Meyiwa were two talented South African players who were murdered.
Luke Fleurs and Senzo Meyiwa are two of the football stars who were murdered. Image: @Browb22/ @BBCSport.
Source: Twitter

Sports Brief looks at five players (current and former) whose lives were ended tragically.

Five footballers who were murdered

Luke Fleurs

The Amakhosi defender was shot dead during a hijacking in Johannesburg on April 3.

News24 reported that the player pulled up to a petrol station in Honeydew, when two men approached him. They ordered him out of his car before one of the men shot him.

The 24-year-old joined the Glamour Boys last year after his stint at SuperSport United ended.

Senzo Meyiwa

Meyiwa’s death sparked outrage across South Africa when he was killed in 2014.

The former Orlando Pirates and Bafana Bafana captain was shot dead during a home invasion in Vosloorus.

Almost 10 years after the tragic incident, the keeper’s murderers have yet to be brought to book.

Five men are currently appearing in court, with one alleging that he was paid to kill Meyiwa by the player’s girlfriend, Kelly Khumalo, Times LIVE reported.

Marc Batchelor

Another former Pirates and Bafana star, Batchelor was killed outside his home in 2019.

The striker, who played for Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns as well, was shot dead by two men on motorbikes while in his car.

Having enjoyed a stellar career, Batchelor became more of a controversial figure after he retired. He kept company with questionable figures in the country, and his death was believed to be an assassination, Sowetan LIVE reported.

Robert Mensah

Known as one of Ghana’s greatest goalkeepers of all time, Mensah was killed in November 1971.

Pulse Ghana reported the 32-year-old was trying to separate a fight between two friends drinking at a bar. It’s believed that he was stabbed with a broken bottle during the altercation and was rushed to hospital.

Mensah was operated on and appeared to be making progress, but sadly succumbed to his injuries.

His death caused outrage in the country, and thousands of mourners were said to have skipped work and school to pay their last respects.

Andrés Escobar

One of Colombia’s most talented players, Escobar was tragically killed outside a club in 1994.

The 27-year-old captained his country at the FIFA World Cup in the USA, but it was that tournament which would be the reason for his death.

Escobar scored an own goal against the host nation, as they were beaten 2-1. Colombia were eliminated from the tournament as a result, and the defender was shot dead a week later as a result.

The Ringer reports that he was confronted by some men who taunted him about the goal before they killed him. His death was believed to be a hit by criminals who lost large sums of money on the national team as a result of their elimination from the tournament.

Chiefs pay tribute to Fleurs

Sports Brief previously reported on Chiefs paying tribute to their defender, Fleurs.

The 24-year-old was killed during a hijacking at a petrol station in Johannesburg.

Amakhosi have since taken to social media to also provide an update on the case.

Authors
Byron Pillay photo
Byron Pillay
Byron Pillay is a sports writer and Head of the Department at Sports Brief (joined in 2022) with over 10 years of experience in community journalism and a degree in journalism from Caxton's Cadet School.
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DStv PremiershipSouth AfricaGhana