Senzo's secret love child

Slain soccer hero Senzo Meyiwa fathered a secret love child.

The player's family discovered the baby boy's existence only after his father's brutal death in an apparent botched robbery.

The family of the Orlando Pirates and Bafana Bafana captain, given a hero's funeral last Saturday in Durban, knew he already had three other children with three different women.

The shocked Meyiwas confirmed yesterday that they met the baby boy and his mother shortly after the soccer star's funeral, and had accepted responsibility for the child.

The baby, who the family said was a few months old, was born shortly after the birth of Senzo's daughter Thingo by singer Kelly Khumalo.

According to family spokesman Siyabonga Meyiwa, the infant was brought to their home in K-section in Umlazi, near Durban.

Senzo's wife, Mandisa Mkhize, who has a daughter with the late star, was present. Senzo has another daughter from a previous relationship.

A source said the baby boy "looks three months old. I do not know his name but he is a beautiful baby who looks like Senzo."

Senzo's father Sam, speaking through Siyabonga Meyiwa, said yesterday: "We confirm that the baby was brought home and was acknowledged by the Meyiwas.

"The baby was brought to the family after Senzo's funeral.

"We saw him, we are going to do what is necessary in order to ensure that he is also taken care of as a Meyiwa.

"Going forward, we are handling the situation according to our Zulu culture."

The family asked that their privacy be respected, saying: "We are still looking forward to an official opportunity to thank the South African and KwaZulu-Natal governments, Orlando Pirates chairman Irvin Khoza, the South African public and the whole soccer fraternity."

Khoza met Siyabonga Meyiwa earlier this week in Johannesburg to discuss details of his former player's finances and to "establish whether Senzo had a will, determine the status of his relationships to his wife Mandisa and girlfriend Kelly or whether he died intestate and to confirm the number of Senzo's children".

Said Khoza: "It is not a secret that wherever the players play, be it Bloemfontein or Durban, they have a girlfriend for every away match. But that does not define Senzo. We must find solace in that he catered for his children.

"It is not for me to usurp the power of God to be a judge. There's an Israeli saying that for every house there is a toilet. All of us are not perfect," said Khoza.

"Let us allow Mandisa and Kelly to grieve and have closure. Nothing should overshadow the achievement of Senzo. He is the main actor. He has earned his spot on the stage. Let him be there alone and enjoy it even in death."

Referring to an SABC2 soapie about royal family squabbles, Khoza said he did not want to entertain further drama about his talented player. "I don't want Muvhango. There was too much Muvhango in the week leading up to the funeral. That is why we met with the family to make sure nobody is inconvenienced. It is important that we get all the information. Senzo deserves dignity - not drama," said Khoza.

Khoza said he had appointed lawyer Raymond Hack to wrap up Meyiwa's affairs from the Pirates side. The team has already lodged a claim with the club's insurance company.

The Pirates boss also confirmed that the club had financially assisted the Meyiwa family to the tune of R460345, which included paying for a cow and other food and the coffin, casket flowers and other floral decorations at Durban's Moses Mabhida Stadium, where Senzo's funeral was held last week.

He paid R350 000 for return tickets for 50 Pirates players and members of the technical staff to fly from Johannesburg to Durban with Meyiwa's body.

"It was to say thank you to the Meyiwa family for giving us a child with respect, with manners. The boy was loyal. I'm feeling empty at his loss. He gave his life to Pirates and that is something I can never forget."

Billionaire Patrice Motsepe, Mamelodi Sundowns' president, is reported to have donated R1-million to the family.

Pirates played their first match since Meyiwa's death when they hosted SuperSport United in the Telkom Knockout semifinal at Orlando Stadium last night.

Senzo Meyiwa died at Botshelong Hospital on October 26 after being shot at the home of Khumalo's mother in Vosloorus on the East Rand in what appears to have been a botched robbery.

Khoza also confirmed this week that he had intervened in the standoff between Khumalo and Sam Meyiwa when the singer refused to release her lover's belongings, including two cars and clothing.

"I asked Chicco [music producer Chicco Twala] to find her. I was sitting in the boardroom with Senzo's father when I called her. I said, 'My sweetheart, please release all Senzo's things.' I thank her for listening to me," said Khoza.

"I told her that the daughter she has with Senzo is a Meyiwa and that Senzo's father had agreed for her and the baby to come to the funeral. In the end she felt it was not right to come. As a father I understood and felt her hurt."

Sources confirmed this week that Khumalo had been attacked when a scuffle broke out after Mkhize arrived at the hospital with three friends the night Senzo Meyiwa died.

In the fight, Khumalo's braids were pulled out, leaving a sizeable bald spot and obliging her to appear in public wearing a head wrap.