The Soweto giants have chosen to pay tribute to their late defender who tragically passed away last week.
Kaizer Chiefs have opted to retire jersey number 26, previously worn by the late centre-back Luke Fleurs.
Fleurs tragically lost his life in a shooting incident during a hijacking in Roodepoort last Wednesday.
Although Fleurs joined Amakhosi as a free agent this season, he sadly never had the opportunity to make his official debut for the Soweto giants. Nonetheless, the club has chosen to honor his memory by retiring his jersey number.
Also Check: South African players need to exit the PSL to fulfill their potential Says Broos.
Motaung Jr.’s Statement
“He will wake up, pray, come give his best in training, support his teammates, could do anything in this jersey,” Motaung Jnr told reporters.
“He could go out there and show the people, so no one else can because that was his jersey [26].
“So we sat down; it was a no-brainer. We really wanted to use this to deal with the bigger problem, which is crime. It’s a reflection of that,” the former Amakhosi attacker added.
“We want to make sure that we raise the volume on that.
“That jersey will be hung up in the changing room, and it’s going to be placed first in our technical centre. His chair will always be left empty,” he continued.
“Moving forward, we have many other things that we’re going to do to honour Luke; that’s just the first step.”
The Broader Perspective
Fleurs’ jersey number marks the third to be retired by Amakhosi, yet it stands as the first tribute to a fallen player.
The Soweto giants previously retired number 15 in homage to club legend Doctor Khumalo and number 20 in recognition of the contributions made by former captain Howard Freese.
Also Check: Riveiro Gives up on PSL Title Chase as Orlando Pirates Brace for Continued League Drought
The Amakhosi Next Match
After their elimination from the Nedbank Cup, Amakhosi will have a weekend off as the knockout competition progresses to the quarter-final stage.
Their next match will be on April 21st when they travel to face Richards Bay in a Premier Soccer League fixture.
Also Check: South African club compete to sign a Super Eagles star.
