President Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed his condolences following the deaths of footballer Jayden Adams and rugby player Luqolo Makwedini, describing the loss of the two young sportsmen as a tragedy for South African sport.
In a statement released on Saturday, Ramaphosa extended his sympathies to the families, friends, teammates and supporters of the two athletes, saying their deaths had cast a shadow over what should have been a celebratory period for South African sport.
“It is particularly tragic that we are suffering the loss of two outstanding young athletes at a time when our nation continues to immerse itself in the FIFA World Cup tournament, as well as the Springboks’ and Springbok Women’s matches against Scotland and the USA Eagles in Pretoria today,” the President said.
Ramaphosa said the country was grateful for the joy and success Adams and Makwedini had brought to South Africa through their performances on the international stage.
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Join our WhatsApp channel“We are grateful for the joy and victories Jayden and Luqolo have given us and their teams as they lived their dreams and held South Africa’s name high on the scoreboards of global sport. May their souls rest in peace,” he said.
Adams, 25, died on Saturday shortly after returning to South Africa from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where he represented Bafana Bafana in the country’s historic campaign. Police have opened an investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death, and the cause of death has not yet been confirmed.
Makwedini, 20, died in France after suffering a cardiac arrest following a training session with his club, AS Béziers Hérault. The former SA Under-18 rugby player had been regarded as one of the country’s brightest young rugby prospects.
The President joins a growing list of leaders and sporting organisations who have paid tribute to the two athletes, including Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie, FIFA president Gianni Infantino, the South African Football Players Union and rugby bodies in South Africa and France.
