Like a young Nasief Morris: SA U-23 coach Notoane on tragic death of Oshwin Andries

South Africa Under-20 captain Oshwin Andries, who died from stab wounds this weekend, reminded his South Africa Under-23 coach David Notoane of a “young Nasief Morris”.

Stellenbosch FC’s 19-year-old centreback was drafted into the U-23s after leading SA to third place at the 2022 Cosafa Under-20 Cup in Eswatini in October 2022.

He almost certainly would have been called up again by Notoane for next month's 2023 U-23 Africa Cup of Nations third-round qualifier against Congo.

“We roped him in straight after the Cosafa championship because he was a player we were monitoring because of his age and he was doing so well,” Notoane said.

“He played the first [U-23 Nations Cup] qualifier away in Togo [a 2-2 draw in Lomé in the second round, where SA progressed on away goals, also in October last year].

“When I got the news I had goosebumps. He was a very stable, soft young man and very talented, of course. Very professional in approach with things like analysis. Every time you spoke to him he was very enquiring about the game.

“He reminded me of [2000s Bafana star and Notoane’s one-time Santos teammate] Nasief Morris in terms of how, in his younger days, Nasief was also very enquiring about the game.

“These kinds of youngsters are rare, especially someone who could play in defence and central midfield.

“For a future prospect who could go on and achieve things on a global stage, it’s very sad.

“Having been in Cape Town, one understands the challenges that face young players from there in terms of the environment and social issues.

“It’s sad that it happened at a time when the boy was just starting in his international career. And of course he is lost to the family.

“I know the environment he comes from – the community around Stellenbosch is tough. I’m sad for him and Stellenbosch FC.”

From Klapmuts in Paarl, near Stellenbosch in the Cape winelands, youth product Andries was a homegrown talent for his club.

Former Santos striker Notoane, from Pretoria, spent more than 20 years in Cape Town “in and out”. He lamented how gang-related violence in the Cape could also affect clean-living young players trying to make a better life through football.

“In South Africa it’s really sad. The safety and security of young people, who are the future — and for all of us — is not guaranteed.

“I mean I’m turning 54 tomorrow. For the lifestyle in SA that I’ve had, you’ve never felt secure. I should feel young, but because of our lifespan in SA everyone seems to say, ‘You’ve done well reaching 54’.

“We know football should be playing its role taking these kids away from danger, but I know in Cape Town there are many other talented young players who have lost their lives just by virtue of being a friend of a guy who had contact with the wrong side.

“Or just by being with the wrong person that day, who they didn’t even know was in that sort of trouble.

“It’s personal, to be honest with you. Many times I’ve been into Hanover Park, to his house, with Jerome McCarthy [Benni McCarthy’s brother and Notoane’s former Santos teammate] and you just get caught in the crossfire of gang shootouts.

“You go with Jerome just to pick up his bags and suddenly here are the police putting you up against the wall, because there was some shooting that day.

“For young footballers, they know that if they get to a level and get to the suburbs, they’ve done well for themselves. And then you end up with no role models left in those communities.

“I’ve crossed many paths in Cape Town, and naively so because coming from a black community we are not exposed to this issue of drugs like it is there.”

Andries was involved in an altercation and stabbed in Cape Town or Paarl on the night of January 27. He apparently developed complications from the wound and was admitted to Paarl Hospital this weekend, where he died on Saturday night. 

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