Leading South African footballer, Motjeka Madisha, was killed in a horrific vehicle accident in the early hours of Sunday.
The South African Football Players Union (SAFPU) confirmed that the tragedy occurred near Johannesburg soon after a function to celebrate the 50th anniversary of his club, Mamelodi Sundowns.
It is unclear whether Madisha, 25, was driving but the vehicle caught fire and he was declared dead at the scene.
Madisha, who previously played for Highlands Park, earned 13 caps for the South Africa national team between 2015 and 2020, scoring once.
“We are shocked and devastated,” the national team said on its Twitter page.
South African Football Association President, Danny Jordaan, sent “condolences to Sundowns, his family and the entire football family”.
This latest tragedy occurred just two weeks after Madisha’s former Sundowns team-mate, Anele Ngcongca, was killed in a car accident near Durban.