South Africa - Durban - 30 July 2019 - Police Minister Bheki Cele visits the family of Sam Meyiwa, the father of former Bafana Bafana and Orlando Pirates goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa who died 5 years ago. Sam, died on Monday morning after a long battle with stroke Picture:Doctor Ngcobo/Africna News Agency(ANA)
A close family friend of the Meyiwa’s reportedly collapsed and died at Sam’s after tears party at the Meyiwa house on Sunday. Mkhulu Ngengelezi Mnikathi reportedly died at about 5pm while sitting with the Meyiwa family in their yard.
The 61-year-old man’s daughter Mabuyi Ngobese told the Daily Sun that her family was called to the Meyiwa home and told that Mnikathi was “not waking up”. He had accompanied Sam’s relatives at Umlazi M section to the funeral and had not complained of any pain before leaving, said his daughter, though he was on high blood pressure treatment.
Mnikathi’s neighbour, who was drinking mqombothi with him at the time told the tabloid: “He suddenly collapsed. We tried to wake him up several times. We poured cold water on him but he didn’t respond and we called an ambulance. They [paramedics] told us he was dead.”
Sam’s widow, Ntombifuthi, reportedly refused to talk about the death, while the family’s spokesperson, Siyabonga Meyiwa, said he had heard about the incident but didn’t have the full details.
Ngobese said the family was not blaming anyone for her father’s death and did not suspect any foul play.
They would do the cleansing after the funeral.
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