South Africa soccer captain Senzo Meyiwa was shot dead by intruders when trying to protect his girlfriend during a robbery at her home near Johannesburg, officials said on Monday.
The 27-year-old Orlando Pirates goalkeeper died on Sunday after suffering a single shot through the chest at the home of his girlfriend, Kelly Khumalo, a local actress and singer, in the township of Vosloorus.
"Two guys entered the house and demanded cellphones, money and other valuables," provincial Community Safety official Sizakele Nkosi-Malubane told reporters at the scene.
"Senzo tried to protect Kelly because one of the men had a gun pointed towards her."
Police said two men entered Khumalo's house about 2000 local time (1800 GMT) where Meyiwa was in a party of seven in the house. A third assailant waited outside the house and all three fled immediately after the shooting.
Meyiwa was declared dead on arrival at hospital, the police added.
South Africa coach Ephraim Mashaba comforted several of Meyiwa's team-mates who had arrived at the hospital not long after the shooting.
"We can assure all South Africans that we will do all we can to bring Meyiwa's killers [to] book," the South African Police Services said on its Twitter account, offering a reward of 150,000 South African rand (€10,777).
National Police Commissioner Riah Phiyega announced a special task force team had been formed to investigate the killing.
