The family of late football legend Stimela Baloyi is still searching for answers following suspicious circumstances surrounding his untimely death.
This amid speculation that the footballer was poisoned after he complained of a swollen abdomen and severe headache before he passed away at his home in Solomondale in Limpopo a fortnight ago.
Speaking to Sunday World this week, Baloyi’s sister Elisah Baloyi said the former Mahwelereng Real Rovers defender started complaining of excruciating abdominal pain and unbearable headache on the eve of National Women’s Day.
Elisah shared that a relative rushed the footie to Hillbrow Clinic the following day when his tummy started swelling. She said the former Jomo Cosmos defender returned to his flat in Hillbrow the next day after failing to receive medical attention due to a long queue at the health facility.
Trying to save his life, the family took Baloyi to traditional healers back home, who gave him herbs and muthi to drink. But when his health condition deteriorated further, they took him to a doctor who treated him and referred him to Polokwane Provincial Hospital for admission.
Elisah shared that the hospital doctors informed the family that they planned to operate on him, but could not go ahead with the procedure because he was too weak and his tummy was bleeding.
The footie left the hospital a few days later after he convinced the hospital staff that he was feeling better. “Unfortunately he died later that night. We really don’t know what has killed my brother and even if it is true that he was poisoned as it is alleged. Why would people do that, because he was loved by everybody?
“He wouldn’t even hurt a fly. He was loved by many people and never had enemies. Until we find out what actually killed my brother, we won’t find closure. The circumstances under which he died are worrying us, we don’t know if there is any foul play involved,” said Elisah.
She added that the family is eagerly awaiting the post-moterm from a toxicologist with the hope that it will reveal the footie’s cause of death.
The soccer icon’s brother John Baloyi said he is not coping well. “The doctors checked him when he was in hospital but said they couldn’t see anything, the autopsy report will reveal what really killed my brother,” said John.
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