The Orlando Pirates’ media department confirmed that Senzo Meyiwa will be buried at his home in Umlazi in KwaZulu-Natal on Saturday, November 1.

Meyiwa was meant to be part of the Pirates side that was scheduled to play against Kaizer Chiefs in the Soweto Derby on Saturday, had it not been for his sad and untimely death.

‘Nzori’ was shot in Vosloorus on Sunday. He was declared dead on his arrival at the hospital.

“The Orlando Pirates and National Team goalkeeper and captain Senzo Meyiwa will be buried in his home town Umlazi in Durban on Saturday 1 November.

“Yesterday, the Chairman of Orlando Pirates, Dr Irvin Khoza, was received by Premier Senzo Mchunu, his Deputy Mr. Willies Mchunu and Cabinet including the Secretary General of the ANC in KZN Mr. Sihle Zikalala, who all joined in a visit to the Meyiwa family in Umlazi.

“The provincial ‎government of KZN is finalising the status of the funeral. When asked about the visit to the Meyiwa family yesterday, Dr Khoza said, “Senzo was like a son to me. He came to Orlando Pirates in his mid-teens. It was heart-warming to see the KwaZulu-Natal leadership ‎put aside their busy diaries to join in visiting the Meyiwa family. I left ‎Gauteng with the strength I received from the football family. SAFA, the PSL, its clubs and its Sponsor ABSA, were strengthened by the Minister of Sport, Mr. Fikile Mbalula, in demonstrating through actions that it could not be “business as usual.”

Whereas a consideration was made to hold the funeral on Sunday to accommodate Mbulaeni Mulaudzi’s funeral that is being held on the same day in Limpopo, it is in the granting of the Meyiwa family’s wish, that the Saturday date was confirmed.

“Yesterday the Meyiwa family was in Johannesburg to identify Senzo’s body to prepare for his repatriation to Durban. Further details will be provided in due course,” read the statement from Pirates.