Durban City FC forward Joslin Kamatuka has shed light on the team’s collective decision to play their league game against Pretoria Callies on Friday, just days after the heartbreaking loss of their teammate, Sinamandla Zondi.
In a poignant display of resilience, the club rallied to secure a 3-0 victory at the Chatsworth Stadium.
This is three days after the 22-year-old, Zondi, collapsed just before his team’s Motsepe Foundation Championship match against Milford FC in the KZN Derby on Tuesday.
He unfortunately passed away at the Chatsmed Garden Hospital in Durban a few minutes later. Following his passing, the match between Durban City and Milford FC had to be suspended during the half-time break.
DURBAN CITY PLAYERS WANT TO GAIN PROMOTION IN HONOUR OF ZINAMANDLA ZONDI
He passed on at a time when Durban City are firm favourites to secure automatic promotion to the Betway Premiership. They are currently on top of the log with only four matches remaining, six points ahead of second-placed Orbit College FC.
“We have been holding up well, but I can’t speak for other players. Obviously, some of the players knew Zondi way before I met him. For me personally, it hasn’t sunk in yet. But on Friday, I felt it a bit,” Kamatula told FARPost after the match, where he also scored a goal.
ON-FORM STRIKER JOSLIN KAMATUKA DEDICATES THE WIN IN MOTSEPE FOUNDATION CHAMPIONSHIP TO LATE TEAMMATE
“The victory today is definitely dedicated to him because we had a meeting the day after he passed on. We were asked as players if we wanted to play the game, and we decided as players that we wanted to do it and dedicate this to him and win the championship for him.
“So it was the decision to play the game. As players, we really felt it on Friday, and we did everything for him,” he said.
Meanwhile, PSL has also released the funeral details for Zondi. He will be laid to rest on Saturday, 27 April, at Greytown [Somashi High school], Emabomvini Kwadolo, starting at 10:00.
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