Stanley Tshabalala, who was South Africa's first men's national team coach after it was re-admitted to international soccer in 1992, has died, the Orlando Pirates said. He was 75.
The Pirates, where Tshabalala was a top administrator, said in a statement Thursday that Tshabalala “succumbed to the injuries he suffered when he was shot in March this year.”
The club said the statement was also from the Tshabalala family.
Nicknamed “Screamer,” Tshabalala coached the Mamelodi Sundowns from 1986 and 1992, where he won eight trophies including two league titles.
National team
That successful stint led to him being appointed as the first coach of Bafana Bafana, South Africa's men's national soccer team, when it was re-admitted to international soccer after being banned due to the country's racist system of apartheid.
His squad, which beat Cameroon in its first international match, was credited for laying the foundation for the team that ultimately won the Africa Cup of Nations in 1996, beating Tunisia in the final.
Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie extended his condolences to Tshabalala’s family.
“We remember Stanley ‘Screamer’ Tshabalala on this sad day and pay tribute to his legacy and contribution that fostered many football talents and teams over several decades,” McKenzie said.
➤ Click here to follow our WhatsApp channel for more stories.
