Affies Mourns Grade 12 Hockey Player Kéan Botha, 18, After Cancer Battle

• Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool shared an In Memoriam tribute on Instagram for Grade 12 pupil Kéan Botha, who died aged 18
• Kéan represented the Affies first hockey team and was named among the school's notable players in the 2025 hockey yearbook
• The Pretoria school expressed condolences to Kéan's family and said it was praying for comfort during the difficult time

Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool, known as Affies, is mourning the loss of Grade 12 hockey player Kéan Botha, who died at the age of 18 following a battle with cancer.

The school confirmed the news through an In Memoriam tribute published on Instagram on Monday 5 October 2026.

Affies pays tribute to Kéan Botha

According to the tribute, Kéan passed away on a Sunday, one day after celebrating his 18th birthday. Affies described him as a dedicated hockey player who represented the school's first team and offered its sympathies to his family and close friends.

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The school said it was praying for comfort during this time of grief.

''It is with grief that we learned that Kean Botha lost his battle against cancer last Sunday, a day after his 18th birthday. Kean was an avid hockey player. He was named the most promising player in 2025 and played for the school's first team.''

As seen in the tribute below on Instagram.

Kéan's contribution to Affies hockey

Beyond the Instagram tribute, Kéan's involvement with the school's hockey programme is independently documented.

The 2025 Affies hockey yearbook references him by name, noting that his presence in the senior side carried significance beyond his technical contribution, demonstrating to teammates that some things in life were greater than sport. The yearbook also listed Kéan among the school's 2025 matric class, reflecting the role he played during his final years at the school.

Kéan Botha's death has left the Affies community, and those connected to school hockey in Pretoria, grieving the loss of a young player who gave his commitment to the school's sporting programme through illness and into his matric year.

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Tributes poured in on social media, with social media users sharing in the loss;

@mrs_gale__:

''This is absolutely heartbreaking to read; may his family be comforted in this difficult time.''

@christipullen1:

''My deepest condolences - our hearts are broken together.''

@liezel-dreyer1:

''No words will ever be able to describe the word 'heartache.''

Source: Briefly News