SENZO'S LEGACY

A new book takes an intimate look at the life of soccer star Senzo Meyiwa, whose murder more than five years ago remains unsolved

- BONOLO SEKUDU

THERE were two things Senzo Meyiwa’s father, Sam, wanted to accomplish before he died. He’d hoped to see his son’s killer brought to justice, and for Senzo’s life to be documented in a book so he’s never forgotten.

Sam died without ever seeing justice for his son – but he did manage to make sure his son would be immortalised.

The book Decoding 666_9: The Inexplicable Life of Senzo Meyiwa, written by Soweto Mandlanzi, is already causing a stir and it hasn’t even been officially launched yet.

In it, Soweto reveals how Senzo’s mom, Ntombifuthi Meyiwa, feels about her son’s girlfriend, singer Kelly Khumalo, and how a heartbroken Mandisa Mkhize, the slain soccer player’s wife, dealt with the pain of losing her husband.

It’s been more than five years since the Orlando Pirates goalkeeper’s tragic death at 30. But his murder is still one of the most-talked-about crimes in the country.

Of course, it doesn’t help that his killers haven’t been caught. And the question persists: Who shot Senzo?

While Soweto doesn’t have the answer to the crucial question, he tries to give readers an intimate glimpse into the life and times of the talented athlete and the emotions of his immediate family.

“Senzo really had an interesting life,” he says with a sigh.

It took Soweto three to four years to complete the book, which was made even more challenging by the fact Senzo’s killers are still out there. The family is yet to begin the healing process, he says.

While his book is complete, he feels more could be added because “wow, it is a lot of drama”.

Even after five years, Senzo’s death is still so raw that a lot of people he interviewed cried.