LONDON, 20 Oct – Bryan Habana has delivered a heartfelt message of sympathy, on behalf of the South Africa team, to the family of a school teacher and rugby coach who was murdered in Johannesburg over the weekend.
Wing Habana (above) has promised to do everything to honour the Springboks shirt in tribute to Zukisa Kela, who was tied up and thrown into a lake along with a friend by a 12-strong gang.
His final words to his headmaster before he left school were “viva ama Bokoboko viva” - long live the Springboks. He had also revived rugby at his school as the sport’s co-ordinator.
Habana, clearly affected by the news, spoke at the team’s media briefing at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Guildford, on Tuesday.

THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS

He said: “On behalf of the Springboks and South Africa rugby, to Zukisa Kela and his family for the tragedy that happened in South Africa, our thoughts and prayers are with you. To be able to see the support and passion he had for the Springboks makes the reason we play this game, the reason we play for South Africa, so much more special.
“To his family and friends, his school, we are thinking of you, you are in our prayers. Hopefully we can continue doing our country proud. We can bring the country together, unite the country. Thinking of everyone back home and from a Springbok point of view we hope to instil some pride back in this jersey.”
RNS js/ig