Ramaphosa Honours Jayden Adams and Luqobo Makwedini After Both Athletes Die at 25 and 20

• President Cyril Ramaphosa offered his condolences to the families of soccer player Jayden Adams and rugby player Luqobo Makwedini
• Adams, a Bafana Bafana and Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder, died days after returning to South Africa from the FIFA World Cup
• Makwedini collapsed during a training session in France and died of a suspected sudden cardiac arrest at just 20 years old

President Cyril Ramaphosa has sent his condolences to the families of two young South African sportsmen who died within days of one another. Bafana Bafana and Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Jayden Adams was just 25 when he passed away, while rugby prop Luqobo Makwedini died at only 20.

The president noted how heavy this loss feels given that the nation's attention is currently fixed on major international sporting events, including the FIFA World Cup and the Springboks' clash against Scotland and the USA Eagles in Pretoria on Saturday, 11 July 2026.

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Ramaphosa said it felt especially painful to lose two remarkable young athletes at a moment when the country's focus was on major sporting occasions, from the FIFA World Cup to the Springboks' matches in Pretoria. He thanked both men for the pride and success they'd brought South Africa on the world stage, saying "may their souls rest in peace."

Jayden Adams's life cut short

Adams had just made his way back from the FIFA World Cup when he was found dead at a home in Cape Town. Police in the city have since opened an inquest, though the cause of his death is still to be confirmed.

He'd also been carrying personal heartache in his final days, having lost his grandmother only a day before he took to the field against Czechia at the World Cup.

Makwedini collapses during training in France

Makwedini, known fondly as "Bibo," had recently signed with French Pro D2 club AS Béziers Hérault after coming through South Africa's Under-18 ranks.

He collapsed at the Stade de la Gayonne during a training session, suffering what's believed to have been a sudden cardiac arrest. He was rushed to hospital but died a few hours afterwards.

A former Wynberg Boys' High School pupil, he was seen as one of the country's brightest young rugby prospects.

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South Africa's sporting world is left mourning the loss of two talented young men whose careers were only just beginning.

See the Instagram post here.

More tragic losses in SA

• Briefly News recently reported on the deaths of an Mpumalanga man and his young nephew after they ate snacks stored at their home.
• Anger grew after a former municipal manager was linked to the death of a UFS student, with no arrest made yet.
• A family of four from Hermanus lost their lives in a devastating N2 crash that left the whole country mourning.

Source: Briefly News