“The next thing I recall was I woke up in bed. My body was in pain. Everyone was asking, ‘What’s wrong?’”
He was taken to Silverton Hospital but the staff there “couldn't find anything”.
Later a brain scan with a specialist revealed his diagnosis.
“The last time I had a seizure was before I retired. When I left Pirates for Aces, the game Aces won when I scored in Orlando, the next day I had a seizure driving the car.
“The car was a write-off. I had to go to hospital. I was alone in the car and I blacked out. I was driving on the R21 and when I took the off-ramp, I don’t remember, I just woke up and the car was crashed, the ambulance was there.”
In a wide-ranging interview Mbuyane, a combative, bustling striker who was popular with the fans, discussed his career at Pirates from 2008 to 2014 and life after football.
For more episodes, click here.
Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.
PODCAST | Ex-Pirates star Mbuyane totalled his car having epileptic seizure
Image: Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images
Former Orlando Pirates striker Thulasizwe Mbuyane has revealed how he totalled his car while playing for the Buccaneers when he had an epileptic seizure while driving alone.
Mbuyane, now 40, described to Marawa Sports Worldwide how his epilepsy first emerged when he had his first seizure during Pirates’ famous second treble-winning season in succession in the 2011-12 season, and said his career was cut short by the illness.
“I believe I could have played a bit more though I’m happy with what I achieved. I don’t regret anything, I enjoyed myself,” Mbuyane said, who had spells with Mpumalanga Black Aces and Royal Eagles before retiring in 2014.
“I took a decision to say, ‘Let me just take it as an early retirement’. I had to consider the kids, my mum, so that after football I would be there.
“If something happened on the field it would have devastated them. I wanted to live happily and I did. That’s why wherever I go there’s always love and I’m grateful for that.”
Mbuyane said he had his first seizure “in 2011, on April 26, on my boy’s birthday”.
He was taking his children out for supper for his son’s birthday, received a phone call, it was a “private number, and that’s the last thing I recall”.
Sold out! 93,000 to watch first Pirates-Chiefs derby with a crowd in two years
“The next thing I recall was I woke up in bed. My body was in pain. Everyone was asking, ‘What’s wrong?’”
He was taken to Silverton Hospital but the staff there “couldn't find anything”.
Later a brain scan with a specialist revealed his diagnosis.
“The last time I had a seizure was before I retired. When I left Pirates for Aces, the game Aces won when I scored in Orlando, the next day I had a seizure driving the car.
“The car was a write-off. I had to go to hospital. I was alone in the car and I blacked out. I was driving on the R21 and when I took the off-ramp, I don’t remember, I just woke up and the car was crashed, the ambulance was there.”
In a wide-ranging interview Mbuyane, a combative, bustling striker who was popular with the fans, discussed his career at Pirates from 2008 to 2014 and life after football.
For more episodes, click here.
Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.
MORE:
Pirates’ Monyane explains why he dodged Sundowns’ Mokwena at MTN8 clash
‘He did the same with Pirates until Micho resigned’ — Fans weigh in on Mokwena taking the helm at Sundowns
PODCAST | How Rangnick’s departure made life tricky for Zinnbauer, Davids at Lokomotiv
PODCAST | Mayambela on playing 24 times as a sub under Krol at Pirates
PODCAST | SA cricket has shown it doesn’t believe in black players: Ramela
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Most read
Latest Videos