Paralysed former Polokwane City player Kopano Sekgobela blames club owner Johnny Mogaladi for the crash that robbed him of his career.
Speaking to Sowetan this week from his home in Steelpoort, Limpopo, Sekgobela said Mogaladi called an impromptu meeting following their disappointing outing to FC AK on the fateful day in 2012.
"He told us that he should not reach the club house before us. He was driving a Lamborghini and we were in an old cab. We had to rush to get there early ," said Sekgobela.
The players were involved in a crash that left four dead and seven injured.
Sekgobela is currently destitute and lonely at home. His promising soccer career at PSL outfit Polokwane City all but evaporated in front of his eyes. He is wheelchair-bound and feels abandoned. He now relies on the goodwill of others.
His brother Chester is the breadwinner for the family of six.
Sekgobela, 24, hoped for some relief last season when his former teammates clubbed together to raise funds for him by contributing R100 each. But their plans were thwarted when Mogaladi allegedly ordered them to stop.
Veteran defender Benson Mhlongo said there were complications. "The money was not collected and donated. Management told me not to go ahead with it because the player lied about them."
Sekgobela said he didn't know what he did to deserve the rejection.
"He [ Mogaladi] told them if they wanted to be on speaking terms with him, they should not dare talk about me. I just want to know what I did or what my parents did for him to treat us this way," he said
Sekgobela said that his parents had been trying to meet with Mogaladi since the accident but he has been unavailable.
The player got R168000 from the PSL insurance two years ago while the club took its share.
"The money was paid into the club's account and they transferred half to me."
Lekgale Mpaketsane, one of the mothers whose son died in the crash, said she also received that amount. The money has since dried up and Sekgobela needs medication and specialised rehabilitation apparatus to speed up the healing process.
Sekgobela said he was not aware of the Road Accident Fund nor how it worked, so he never submitted a claim.
The doctors told him he would need three to four years to rehabilitate from the spinal injury.
Called for comment, Mogaladi would not entertain Sekgobela's concerns: "Kopano is not my player. I will not talk to you about him. I do not mean to be rude but you can write whatever you like."
mashotol@sowetan.co.za
Kopano Sekgobela blames soccer boss for fatal car crash
Paralysed former Polokwane City player Kopano Sekgobela blames club owner Johnny Mogaladi for the crash that robbed him of his career.
Speaking to Sowetan this week from his home in Steelpoort, Limpopo, Sekgobela said Mogaladi called an impromptu meeting following their disappointing outing to FC AK on the fateful day in 2012.
"He told us that he should not reach the club house before us. He was driving a Lamborghini and we were in an old cab. We had to rush to get there early ," said Sekgobela.
The players were involved in a crash that left four dead and seven injured.
Sekgobela is currently destitute and lonely at home. His promising soccer career at PSL outfit Polokwane City all but evaporated in front of his eyes. He is wheelchair-bound and feels abandoned. He now relies on the goodwill of others.
His brother Chester is the breadwinner for the family of six.
Sekgobela, 24, hoped for some relief last season when his former teammates clubbed together to raise funds for him by contributing R100 each. But their plans were thwarted when Mogaladi allegedly ordered them to stop.
Veteran defender Benson Mhlongo said there were complications. "The money was not collected and donated. Management told me not to go ahead with it because the player lied about them."
Sekgobela said he didn't know what he did to deserve the rejection.
"He [ Mogaladi] told them if they wanted to be on speaking terms with him, they should not dare talk about me. I just want to know what I did or what my parents did for him to treat us this way," he said
Sekgobela said that his parents had been trying to meet with Mogaladi since the accident but he has been unavailable.
The player got R168000 from the PSL insurance two years ago while the club took its share.
"The money was paid into the club's account and they transferred half to me."
Lekgale Mpaketsane, one of the mothers whose son died in the crash, said she also received that amount. The money has since dried up and Sekgobela needs medication and specialised rehabilitation apparatus to speed up the healing process.
Sekgobela said he was not aware of the Road Accident Fund nor how it worked, so he never submitted a claim.
The doctors told him he would need three to four years to rehabilitate from the spinal injury.
Called for comment, Mogaladi would not entertain Sekgobela's concerns: "Kopano is not my player. I will not talk to you about him. I do not mean to be rude but you can write whatever you like."
mashotol@sowetan.co.za
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