Soccer: Henyekane's death, and the ongoing need for an engaged players’ union

Exactly a week ago, Richard Henyekane's life came to a sad end. The 31-year-old footballer was killed in a horrific car crash when the vehicle he was driving collided with a truck and caught fire on impact on the N5 between Harrismith and Bethlehem in the Free State. There were four other passengers in the car: Ayanda Motete (19), Nthabiseng Motsoetsoe (20), Limpho Moloi (18) and a male friend who has only been identified as Mzambiya. They all died at the scene.

He was laid to rest last week, but a dark side to his footballing life has since emerged, with friends and an ex-coaching saying he was a “party animal” and “boozer of note”, according to a report in the City Press.

According the paper, Manqoba Mngqithi, Henyekane's coach at Golden Arrows, had tried to assist him with the problem he had admitted to. Although his drinking had not affected him on the pitch, off the field, he simply could not turn down a party.

Footballers and alcohol is not a story that is unique to South Africa. Paul Gascoigne is perhaps the most infamous of players whose battles are well documented. You’d think that his fall from grace would have served as a harsh warning to some of South Africa’s players, but it’s not so, and Henyekane's death has once again highlighted the need for a proactive players’ union for South Africa’s footballers. The South African Football Players' Union does exist, but for a start, its website has not been updated since last year. It is headed by Simba Marumo, a former Platinum Stars player who spent time at the Inter Milan youth academy in his younger years. The Union undoubtedly tries its best with limited resources, but it seems the message they are trying to convey continues to fall on deaf ears.

Because the message is not a new one. In 2011, Brandhouse and the SAFU launched an initiative called DrinkIQ, with the aim of encouraging footballers to lead a healthy lifestyle. A year later, Jeffrey Ntuka died after allegedly getting into a scuffle with patrons at a tavern. Ntuka was once a youngster on Chelsea’s books as a youngster, but lost his way when things did not go entirely as planned.

"The sad reality is that in our country we abuse alcohol. They (players) are a reflection of our communities, same as rugby players. So if you see them drinking a lot it tells you a lot about where they come from," Marumo told the Sowetan in 2012 following Ntuka’s death.

Back then already, he urged the importance of speaking to players when they are young.

"It is no use speaking to them when they are in their mid-20s because that is too late. When they are young, they are most likely to listen to you than when they are older. It is sad to see players' promising careers being destroyed by alcohol."

"When you speak to them, they genuinely listen to you. But as soon as their friends come around, all of that goes out the window. One discussion is not going to change a lifetime habit," Marumo said.

And yet, here we are again. Three years later we are dealing with very similar issues. It is therefore imperative that the Players’ union does more to educate players around issues ranging from alcohol and drug abuse to issues with depression and gambling.

Guidance for South Africa’s young footballers are crucial and this guidance needs to come both from the players’ union and the people in charge of football in South Africa in order to prevent some of the country’s most talented stars from being forgotten and falling by the wayside. There are important socio-economic factors at play, like considering the background of some of South Africa’s top players. Becoming an overnight sensation is dangerous to anyone. Equipping players to deal with the gulf of attention, including the dubious influencers, is a critical part in not only developing balanced footballers, but balanced human beings too. The good work done on the pitch needs to go hand-in-hand with a balanced lifestyle off it. Without anyone fighting in the players’ corner and educating them about making informed lifestyle decisions, South Africa’s footballing talent will always remain at risk. DM

Photo: Richard Henyekane (Socer Laduma video frame grab)