Durban City on Sinamandla Zondi death: 'It was emotional for the team'

947's Robert Marawa speaks to Durban City Chairperson Farouk Kadodia.

Listen below:

Durban City Football Club have announced the tragic death of one of their players, Sinamandla Zondi (22), on Tuesday (22 April).

Football lost one of its brightest rising stars, confirms Kadodia.

The match kicked off at 7:30 pm, and Zondi collapsed and passed away at around 7:46 pm, Kadodia confirms. 

Zondi was more than just a player, he was a son, a teammate, a dreamer — a young man who poured his heart and soul into every minute he played.

This loss is profound, and the silence left in his absence echoes through every corner of South African football, says Marawa.  

Kadodia explains the moments before Zondi's death. "Things happened so fast."

The team was doing warm-ups before the match, and 10 minutes before warming up ended, the players and coaches saw that Zondi was having 'a bit of a struggle'. "Sinamandla was trying to stay on his feet," Kododia explains.

Players and coaches responded to give Zondi support, but he collapsed.

"Medical staff and doctors were on scene within a few minutes and tried to give him the best medical support they could... No one at the outset really believed that we would lose him. The doctor eventually tried his best to see how he could get the support or the vein that he needed to pierce a drip... but it wasn't forthcoming and the best option was to rush him to hospital to see if they could revive him there... but the news thereafter, at the hospital was that the doctors tried their best to revive him with no joy."

- Farouk Kadodia, Chairperson - Durban City

"It was quite an emotional thing for the team at large..."

- Farouk Kadodia, Chairperson - Durban City

At half time, news broke to the public that Zondi had passed away, and the game was suspended. 

"This year in particular, he had that desire to see the team getting promoted and I told the players last night that we have a big challenge... and that challenge is that we have to win the league in memory of Zondi... we'll make every effort and we're very confident that the spirit in the camp will be there in memory of the late Sinamandla Zondi."

- Farouk Kadodia, Chairperson - Durban City

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