Mamelodi Sundowns president Patrice Motsepe has pledged that the club will continue supporting the family of late midfielder Jayden Adams, saying it is part of the club’s culture to stand by the loved ones of players even after the funeral has ended.
Motsepe was speaking at Adams’ funeral at the Coetzenburg Centre in Stellenbosch on Saturday, where family, friends, teammates, football officials and government leaders gathered to bid farewell to the 24-year-old midfielder.
Adams was found dead in a Cape Town flat on July 11, just weeks after representing South Africa at the 2026 Fifa World Cup.
He leaves two young children — a five-year-old daughter with partner Aqueelah Adendorf and a toddler son with Jody Solomons.
Motsepe said he was proud that Sundowns had committed to helping Adams’ children and family beyond the immediate period of mourning.
“I’m very proud that there was some discussion about Mamelodi Sundowns continuing to see how they can help, at least for some time, to try and help Jaden’s children.”
He said the true test of compassion comes after the funeral when grieving families are often left to cope on their own.
“I’m even more proud because there’s a commitment that the chair has made that when there are challenges in any environment, you know, particularly when there’s a funeral, on the day of the funeral everybody is there, and they are there to comfort you, and it helps a lot, and it’s very important, but a few days and a few weeks afterwards, the family is very much on their own. And that’s when you really need support. And you need people to comfort you and you need those that Jaden was part of to continue giving emotional support because it takes time.”
Motsepe said supporting families in difficult times is part of the values of the club and the Motsepe family.
“I must say, I’m very proud of the culture that Mamelodi Sundowns has reflected, and I know that there are going to be other private discussions that the chair will have for the family. But it is part of our culture always to try and help, to try and contribute, and I think for us as a family, the Motsepe family in particular, we have a huge obligation. We have a huge duty in all ways possible to try to give back, to try and help, to try and assist.”
He added that Adams had played a significant role in the club’s success.
“Of course, in this instance, it is to try to help the family because Jaden has contributed enormously to the success of Mamelodi Sundowns. And for us as a family, we have a duty. We’ve identified football as one of the areas where we try to give back to the people of this country, who have made us as a family what we are,” he said.
Sport, arts and culture minister Gayton McKenzie revealed during the funeral that Sundowns had covered all funeral expenses.
“I made a call to the family; we said we would cover the funeral in my personal capacity, [and] they said no need. Sundowns has taken care of everything. It shows you the character of the father and the mother and the granny and the household. If it were other people, they [might] have said send to this eWallet number,” he said.
In a heartfelt tribute, Mamelodi Sundowns chair Tlhopie Motsepe remembered Adams as a gifted footballer whose quiet personality made a lasting impression on everyone around him.
“He made difficult things look effortless. But Jaden also possessed something very magical as a person. Yes, he was quiet, and in some ways, he was shy, but there was something about him that made him impossible to ignore,” said Tlhopie.
The chair also spoke about Adams’ quiet energy, saying he was magical.
“He had a special kind of energy. He had an aura. He had something I like to call quiet charisma. You see, most charismatic people, when they enter the room, you know they’re there because they’re loud or they’re energetic or they’re outgoing. They’re larger than life, but Jaden did the opposite. He filled the room without saying very much at all. He never demanded attention, and somehow he simply received it. There was something about him that naturally drew people towards him. People wanted to be around him. They wanted to know him. And once they did, it was very hard not to like him,” he said.
He made difficult things look effortless. But Jaden also possessed something very magical as a person. Yes, he was quiet, and in some ways, he was shy, but there was something about him that made him impossible to ignore.
— Tlhopie Motsepe, Mamelodi Sundowns chair
An emotional Juanito Adams told mourners that while many football supporters dream of meeting their sporting heroes, he and his wife had the privilege of raising theirs.
“Many people dream of meeting their favourite soccer players, but I can tell you all today that my wife and I raised our favourite soccer player. You get the goats, Messi and Ronaldo, but I can tell you that Jayden was a goat,” he said.
Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos, speaking to eNCA on the sidelines of the funeral, said he was struggling to come to terms with Adams’ death.
“It’s a very sad day for all of us. Three weeks ago, I said goodbye to Jayden. I said, ‘See you back in September.’ Now we are three weeks later, and I will never see him again. It’s unreal. It’s not fair. Such a young guy, talented, a bright future in front of him, and now he’s not among us anymore. There are no words, there are no words to express how sad I am today,” he said.
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