Grief-stricken Mashaba sets aside his own pain and mourns Stephen Keshi

 Bafana Bafana coach Ephraim ‘‘Shakes” Mashaba temporarily set aside his own personal grief on Wednesday and joined South Africans in sending condolences to Nigeria legend Stephen Keshi’s family.

Mashaba is preparing to bury his younger brother‚ Victor George Mashaba‚ and he said he was stunned when he was told that coaching colleague Keshi had suddenly passed away from an apparent heart attack at just 54 years old.
“What is really happening in the world of coaching? Not long ago it was Ted Dumitru and now Keshi — two giants in the space of a week!‚” a stunned Mashaba said.
“This is not only a loss for the family and the Nigerian community but the entire African continent and world at large. Personally‚ I am gutted as it comes at a time when I am preparing to bury my younger brother‚ who died on Tuesday.”
The grief-stricken Bafana coach’s younger brother passed away a day after Mashaba returned from Gambia this following an away Africa Cup of Nations qualifier at the weekend.
Keshi had strong links with South Africa and was in the running for the Bafana coaching job just two years ago. He eventually lost out to Mashaba but continued to maintain strong links with South Africa.
South African Football Association (Safa) president Danny Jordaan said he could not find the proper words to describe Keshi’s sudden passing.
‘‘Keshi was not only a giant of African football but was a global football icon‚” Jordaan said.
“At a time when we are still reeling from the loss of Muhammad Ali and now this — one wonders what is happening to this world.
 ‘‘Only a few days ago we lost one of our own giants‚ Ted Dumitru‚ and hardly have tears dried up that we woke up to the shattering news of Keshi’s death.”
Safa Technical Director Neil Tovey‚ who faced Keshi as opposing captains during their playing careers‚ said the Nigerian legend was a true gentleman of the game.
“They say good people don’t live long and this is a prime example of the saying. I still can’t believe Keshi has left us‚” Tovey said.
“Here is one son of the soil I interacted with from the playing days till the time he passed away.
‘‘I said to myself on hearing the news ‘not again’ but the truth is we are never masters of our own destiny when it comes to death. May his soul rest in peace‚” said Tovey.”
The straight-talking Keshi had often said he could not understand why Bafana have not reclaimed their rightful place at the top of the continental food chain as South Africa is blessed with talented players‚ and its infrastructure is comparable to the best in the world.
He had already proved that his coaching talents extended beyond the Nigerian borders after taking over unfancied Togo in 2004 and getting them to the 2006 Soccer World Cup in Germany in one of the true fairytales of the sport.
He was in SA in 2013 and led his countrymen to the Africa Cup of Nations Cup‚ becoming the second African to win the continental title as a player and coach after Egyptian Mahmoud El-Gohary.

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