'I never thought this day would come': Doctor Khumalo remembers Clive Barker

“It’s not easy at all. I never thought I would see this day.”

These were the words of soccer star Doctor Khumalo on the death of legendary former Bafana Bafana coach Clive Barker. 

Barker died on Saturday at the age of 78 after a “brave battle with Lewy body dementia”. He will be buried in Durban on Thursday. 

Speaking to sports broadcaster Robert Marawa, Khumalo said he was grateful to have seen Barker before his death. 

“For me to be talking about Clive and he is gone. The beauty about the whole thing is that I managed to visit him and I saw him while he was still struggling with the disease.”

Khumalo added that he had wanted Barker to be part of his documentary, The Untold Story of Doctor Khumalo.

“If you work with a group and you don't understand their strengths and backgrounds, then you have lost the dressing room already. Clive could make you go out there and be like a lion and chow your opponents. 

“We went to places in Africa where we were treated very badly with food and facilities, but how Clive handled the situation was amazing. He told us that these are the kinds of things that make you strong as a player and a person,” he said. 

ActionSA said Barker deserved a state funeral rather than a provincial burial. 

The party said it was time the former were given to “great and outstanding South Africans deserving of such honour”. 

“By leading Bafana Bafana to that momentous victory, Barker claimed his place in the annals of history in South Africa. Very few South Africans can claim that place in our country.

“It is for this reason ActionSA believes, for his achievements and the glory of the national team, Barker must be honoured with a state funeral,” said the party. 

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