Sports minister Nathi Mthethwa led a government tribute for Bafana Bafana and Mamelodi Sundowns utility player Motjeka Madisha following his death on Sunday morning.

The 25-year-old from Ga-Madisha village in Zebediela in Limpopo died when a vehicle he was travelling in crashed into a steel pole in wet conditions and burst into flames near Kempton Park.

The accident happened just after midnight and Madisha’s sports car caught fire on Zuurfontein road near Sundowns training base in Chloorkop.

It is not clear who was driving the vehicle at the time of the accident.

Madisha’s passing comes in the wake when Sundowns were still mourning the death of another former Bafana defender Anele Ngcongca‚ who also died in a horrific car accident.

Ngcongca crashed his car on the N2 outside Mtunzini on the KwaZulu-Natal north coast last month and was buried in his hometown in Cape Town last week.

Mthethwa said his department has been hard-hit by Madisha’s tragic death.

“Our prayers are with Madisha’s family‚ friends and teammates during this very difficult time‚” said Mthethwa.

“He was a model professional and one of the most promising footballers in the country.

“Another family has lost a son and a breadwinner. We express our deepest sympathy to the family of Madisha‚ Mamelodi Sundowns Football Club and to the nation at large.”

Madisha’s club Sundowns have still not released an official statement a day after the catastrophic news broke out in the media.

Former Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane‚ who is now in charge of Egyptian giants Al Ahly‚ mentored Madisha during the player’s formative years at the club.

Mosimane posted a picture of himself and the star defender after Sundowns won the Nedbank Cup in September.

Madisha’s teammates and Premier Soccer League players also took to social media in numbers to pay tribute to their late colleague.