President Cyril Ramaphosa Mourns the Passing of Jayen Adams and Young Rugby Star Luqobo Makwedini

President Cyril Ramaphosa has extended his condolences to the families of Jayden Adams and Luqobo Makwedini following the deaths of the two young South African athletes, aged 25 and 20, respectively.

Ramaphosa mourns death of Adams and Makwedini

Ramaphosa noted the particular weight of the losses given the country's current sporting moment.

"Tragically, we are suffering the loss of two outstanding young athletes at a time when our nation continues to immerse itself in the FIFA World Cup tournament, as well as the Springboks' and Springbok Women's matches against Scotland and the USA Eagles in Pretoria today," he said.

"We are grateful for the joy and victories Jayden and Luqobo have given their teams and us as they lived their dreams and held South Africa's name high on the scoreboards of global sport. May their souls rest in peace," Ramaphosa added.

What led to Adams and Makwedini's deaths

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Adams, a midfielder who represented both Bafana Bafana and Mamelodi Sundowns, died on Saturday morning, 11 July, shortly after returning from the FIFA World Cup. The circumstances surrounding his death have not been made public.

Brendine Johnson, speaking on behalf of the Adams family, conveyed how deeply the loss had affected those close to him. "At this moment, things are still raw. The family wouldn't want to be contacted right now; they wouldn't be able to answer anyone," Johnson said.

Johnson described Adams as someone who had been looking forward to the future with optimism.

"This passing has ripped everybody apart. Returning from the World Cup just now, and then getting such news… I had a close conversation with him on Thursday. The guy was really positive about returning after the World Cup and going forward."

The mentor added that Adams had been in a positive frame of mind following what had been a successful season. "Being a CAF champion, knowing what lies ahead, he was prepared. He doesn't waste time away, being at home with his family."

Luqobo Makwedini died in France after a practice session with his French club, AS Béziers Hérault. Further details surrounding his passing have not yet been confirmed.

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Source: Briefly News