Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Nathi Mthethwa has mourned the passing of Bafana Bafana and Mamelodi Sundowns defender, Motjeka Madisha.
Madisha died in a car accident near Kempton Park in the early hours of Sunday morning.
He was 25.
In a statement released to the media on Sunday afternoon, Mthethwa hailed Madisha as an "extremely gifted player" and expressed his sympathy to the family amongst others.
“Madisha, who was only 25 years old, was an extremely gifted player. He was a model professional and one of the most promising footballers in the country. Another family has lost a son and a breadwinner. We express our deepest sympathy to the family of Madisha, Mamelodi Sundowns Football Club and to the nation at large,” the statement quoted Mthethwa as saying.
Mbali Hlophe, Gauteng MEC for Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation also paid tribute to Madisha.
"Our condolences go out firstly to his family, his fans & his team. Gauteng is proudly celebrated as home of champions and he proved multiple times that he was one. It's a sad ending to a career that was on a definite rise," Hlophe said.
"Gauteng has lost yet another great talent & the nation at large lost a star. He achieved so much at a tender age & we hope his life inspires many kids to dream big."
- Compiled by Sport24 staff