PSL side Marumo Gallants’ well-travelled veteran midfielder Joseph “Tight” Molangoane says he misses spending time with his friend, the late Bafana Bafana keeper Senzo Meyiwa, recalling how they ducked bombs in Egypt when they were playing against Al Ahly.
Molangoane, the dazzling former Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs midfield strongman, was part of the Buccaneers’ squad that travelled to Cairo to face Al Ahly in the final of the CAF Champions League under coach Roger de Sa in 2013.
Molangoane spoke about his friendship with Meyiwa, whose death shocked the nation after he was gunned down at the home of his girlfriend and Afro-pop and gospel star Kelly Khumalo in Vosloorus in 2014.
Despite his mesmerising dribbling tricks, Molangoane is remembered for the horrific, career-threatening injury he suffered when he broke his leg playing against Free State Stars in 2018.
Following a rough tackle, his shin snapped and many thought that was the end of his playing career at Amakhosi at the time.
“When I was at Pirates, I looked up to the senior players that I found at the club like Rooi Mahamutsa, Lucky Lekgwathi, Siyabonga Sangweni and Nzori, as we used to call Senzo.
“I was close friends with him because we both lived in Buccleuch. So, we spent a lot of time together. We won silver medals with Pirates in the Champions League with coach Roger de Sa. We played against Al Ahly, and I remember once at training when a bomb exploded we were all so scared but we continued with our training routines.
“Senzo calmed us down with his jokes because he was always a guy who could turn a bad situation into a good one easily.
“Nzori will always be missed. He was a nice guy and very fun to hang around with; he loved to dance. We are crying for justice and I believe justice will prevail. The time will come when those who are responsible for taking his life face their punishment.
“When I watch the case on TV it hurts, especially when there’s nothing we can do as ordinary citizens, we can only hope for justice. Those who know what happened and those who are responsible at the end of the day will face the law. They killed a father, a son, a friend and a
national asset to the football fraternity because he was a star for Orlando Pirates and Bafana Bafana.”
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