Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper Brandon Petersen and defender Given Msimango have vowed that the remaining DStv Premiership games will be dedicated to the late Luke Fleurs.
Fleurs was gunned down during a car hijacking incident at a petrol station in Florida, west of Johannesburg, two weeks ago.
Six people have since been arrested for Fleurs’ murder. They appeared at the Roodepoort magistrates court on Friday.
Their case was postponed to Friday this week for a formal bail application.
Fleurs, who joined Amakhosi on a free transfer from SuperSport United in October of last year, had never played a game for the team.
Chiefs sporting director Kaizer Motaung Jr stated that Fleurs was scheduled to make his debut against Chippa United, but he passed away three days prior.
With seven league matches remaining, Petersen said it only makes sense that they play the last games in honour of Fleurs.
It has been all about Luke
“100%, we will dedicate the remaining league matches to Luke,” Petersen told Sunday World during the memorial service at the FNB Stadium last week.
“One day Zitha [Kwinika] said to us that the next couple of games we play, whether it’s 10 or five minutes, we should remember that there is a guy [Fleurs] that never got an opportunity to play, so let’s do it for him in his honour.
“The last couple of days of training, it’s been all about Luke and just cherishing the memories we had with him on the field and doing what he loved.
“Luke would always come to you and tell you to do a certain thing that he liked or would do on the pitch. I think everyone is just looking forward to representing him well and hopefully turning our fortunes around.”
Msimango added that Fleurs’ dream of donning the black and gold jersey came true, but his life was taken away before he could make his official debut for the club.
Taken far too soon
“We are very fortunate as footballers to reach a stage in our lives where we can say we have achieved our dreams, and I feel he had achieved his dream of being a Kaizer Chiefs player,” Msimango said.
“Unfortunately, he was taken far too soon from us to enjoy his dream.
“So, we take it upon ourselves as his teammates and friends to try and fulfil his dream through our spirits to make sure that as we play the remaining games, we try to honour him the best way we know how and that is by playing the game of football with love, respect and remembrance.”
The Chiefs will travel to Kwazulu-Natal to face relegation-threatening Richards Bay at the King Zwelithini Stadium in Umlazi on Sunday afternoon.
