Outpouring of tributes as SA icon Stanley ‘Screamer’ Tshabalala laid to rest
SA football icon Stanley ‘Screamer’ Tshabalala was laid to rest on Thursday afternoon in a poignant ceremony steeped in both mourning and celebration.
A large and diverse crowd gathered at the Grace Bible Church in Pimville, Soweto, to pay their respects to the late Tshabalala.
The beloved figure in the football scene passed away last Thursday at the age of 75 after he succumbed to injuries he suffered from a house robbery in March, where he was shot.
Following the Special Provincial Official Funeral service at the Soweto church, where the mood was a mix of heartbreak and hero worship, mourners proceeded to Westpark Cemetery, where ‘Bra Stan’ was buried.
Many dignitaries and footballing figures were present at the funeral service for the first Bafana Bafana coach after re-admission in 1992. This included SAFA president Danny Jordaan, CAF president Patrice Motsepe, Mamelodi Sundowns chairperson Tlhopie Motsepe and Orlando Pirates/PSL chairman Irvin Khoza, and the Ministry of Sport with minister Gayton McKenzie.
Current and former players also paid their respects, including Pirates legends Jomo Sono, Yster Khomane, Edward Motale, and Tebogo Moloi. Kaizer Chiefs was well-represented by Doctor Khumalo, officials Jessica Motaung and Bobby Motaung, alongside Trott Moloto, and former Bafana Bafana coach Shakes Mashaba.
In addition, Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi delivered a heartfelt eulogy in honour and memory of the late ‘Bra Stan’.
SA REMEMBERS STAN TSHABALALA: FOOTBALL ICON HONOURED AT FUNERAL
“Bra Screamer, we are gathered here to say farewell to you, my good brother; we are gathered here from all sectors of society to accept and appreciate that your time was not up; someone took everything from you and your family,” said Lesufi. “Crime and lawlessness have taken somebody we loved so much from us.
“Stanley ‘Screamer’ Kgotso Tshabalala was a special breed; he led us in uncharted waters, the newness of international football. He played when players were very few, and coached when coaches were rare. It was not piano or shoeshine; it was ‘Screamer’ Tshabalala’s double action. It was not the Buccaneers or Orlando Pirates, it was ‘Screamer’ Tshabalala’s touch because football was his life.
“…Today we mourn you; today, we honour you. The pain may be deep, but your role in society was deeper. The farewell may be difficult, but you carried the task for this nation, some good, some tough and some difficult to watch… go well, my good brother. You indeed entertained us; you cared for us, and you carried your role with dignity. Stylish, we accept, honour, you delivered talent, you spotted it education, you offered, ours is to wish your family strength…”
Doctor Khumalo praised the late Tshabalala for his role in nurturing the young in the early stages of Bafana’s return to the international stage. However, Khumalo also expressed his belief that Tshabalala’s coaching abilities were undervalued.
WHAT DOCTOR KHUMALO SAID ABOUT ‘BRA STAN’
“Bra Stan was not given a fair deal by us South Africans, even the media because they thought he was not good enough to coach the national team,” he said. “But he was nurturing the family.
“Eight to nine players that played in the 1996 AFCON were nurtured by ‘Screamer’ Tshabalala, 12 of the players that were in that squad managed to play overseas, we worked as a family.”
Meanwhile, a lighter mood emerged when Bobby Motaung of Chiefs and Edward ‘Magents’ Motale shared humorous anecdotes and stories about ‘Bra Stan’, eliciting laughter from the crowd.
And in a heartfelt moment, former Bafana coach and childhood friend Shakes Mashaba shared a story about how Tshabalala earned his famous nickname ‘Screamer’. “He couldn’t dribble,” said Mashaba. “But what he did was always position himself in a space where there are not a lot of people, and when he gets the pass, you see him put his hands behind the head, and he jumps, and he screams.”
On the other hand, Trott Moloto, a close friend of Tshabalala and current director at Sundowns, highlighted Tshabalala’s significant contributions in laying the groundwork for the Tshwane giants’ current successes.
In addition, Sports Minister McKenzie expressed his deep admiration for the former coach’s impact on SA football. “I did not know ‘Screamer’, but I was touched by his work, and I can testify today that his life was a life well lived,” said McKenzie.
“I want to say to you that the football fraternity will always be there for you because they have been there for Bra Stan, and Bra Stan was there for them.”
TSHABALALA’S DAUGHTER – ‘HE WAS LOVED BY ALL’
Tshabalala’s daughter, Dineo, remembered her father as a fighter who never gave up, both on and off the field. She further emphasized his legendary status in SA football.
“My dad was a fighter, my dad was a legend and my dad was loved by all of us and by everyone. I’m proud to say that’s my dad, that’s our dad. He loved us all, and we want to say thank you,” she stated.
Following suit, Patrice Motsepe, Irvin Khoza, Zwelinzima Vavi, Dr Victor Ramathesele, Dr Molefi Oliphant, and Stan’s family also stepped up to share their memories and reflections on the life of ‘Bra Stan’.
A true SA football icon, Tshabalala’s career spanned multiple clubs. He is a founding member and former player for Chiefs. His influence extended to Sundowns and Pirates, where he held prominent coaching and administrative roles. At the time of his passing, he served as the technical director for Pirates.
WATCH: THE FUNERAL SERVICE OF ‘BRA STAN’
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