Pretoria - Former Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns captain Benson Mhlongo says that he was disappointed in the leadership of the country’s football as no delegates were sent to pay their last respects for Cecil Lolo.
The 27-year-old defender was laid to rest in Cele, Eastern Cape on Sunday two weeks after his tragic passing in a horrific car crash in Khayalitsha.
It was reported that both SAFA and the PSL together with the deceased club, Ajax Cape Town, sent no delegates on their behalf which signalled a lack of the spirit of Ubuntu, according to Mhlongo.
The 35-year-old also revealed that in his playing days, one of the clubs he played for once hindered players from burying one of their security guards and were ordered to go back to the training ground after the church service and still play friendly games on the burial day.
Mhlongo urged the South African football leaders to stop disrespecting individuals who might not be regarded as ‘valuable’ to them or their businesses.
“All I want to say is that, this has been happening for so long.” Mhlongo told Sport24 in an exclusive interview on Tuesday.
“One of the clubs I played for didn’t allow us to bury one of our security men.
“After the church service we were ordered to go back to training and on that burial day we ended up playing a friendly game and to me that’s not unity.
“It’s just unfortunate now that it is also happening at Ajax Cape Town. Why must you even ask for your games to be postponed when your fellow soldier had died and is yet to be buried?
“I’m really disappointed with the way Ajax and the South African football leadership handled this matter, they didn’t show any respect to Cecil Lolo.
“When Senzo Meyiwa died, all the football delegates were there at his funerals, and all PSL matches were postponed.
“It starts with leadership; our leaders must make right decisions for us and do what’s right.
“Currently they are not, we are always preaching about the spirit of Ubuntu in the country but in reality there is no Ubuntu.”