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Cape Town - Soweto giants Orlando Pirates have released a statement mourning the death of former striker Marc Batchelor.
News24 confirmed that Batchelor was shot multiple times through the driver's window of his car by two gunmen on motorbikes in Olivedale, Johannesburg on Monday night.
The 49-year-old died on the scene.
Batchelor was part of the Buccaneers squad that won the CAF Champions League title against ASEC Mimosas in a two-legged encounter in 1995.
Meanwhile, tributes immediately started to stream in from former team-mates and fans of the striker who donned the No 25 jersey for both Soweto giants.
READ THE STATEMENT BELOW:
Orlando Pirates Football Club is saddened by the news of the passing of former striker Marc Batchelor who was shot in Johannesburg last night.
From all of us at Orlando Pirates Football Club, we convey our heartfelt and deepest sympathy to the Batchelor family and pledge our profound moral support.
We supplicate that God gives you fortitude at this moment of your extreme grief and pain.
Not many players have the unique privilege of having played for all the top clubs in South Africa as Marc Batchelor did.
Not only did the burly striker play for the Mighty Buccaneers but he also donned the colours of Wits University, Kaizer Chiefs, Mamelodi Sundowns as well as Moroka Swallows in a career that spanned over a decade.
Batch, as he was affectionately known, was not known for his speed or skill but play anything to his head and he was in a league of his own.
Batch was part of the Pirates team that conquered the continent in 1995 where he featured in the first leg of the final against Asec Mimosas as a starter before being replaced by Bruce Ramokadi in the second leg, where he came off the bench in Pirates' famous victory over the Ivorian giants.
