By Dylan Bettencourt
- Shaune Mogaila faces culpable homicide charges after a car crash that killed a nine-year-old girl in Thembisa.
- Sekhukhune United continues to support Mogaila, with coach Seema saying everyone deserves a second chance.
Sekhukhune United coach Lehlohonolo Seema says the club is not being insensitive by allowing winger Shaune Mogaila, who was in a head-on crash that killed a nine-year-old schoolchild in 2024, to play.
Seema insisted the club’s backing of Mogaila was “showing ubuntu” and the incident in Thembisa in October 2024 could have happened to anyone.
“Everyone deserved a second chance,” Seema said.
Mogaila is out on bail after two court appearances, with the case postponed to 19 May.
On Saturday the winger played his second match since his court appearances and scored the goal that knocked Chippa United out 1-0 in their Betway Premiership clash in East London.
Mogaila won the man-of-the-match award at Buffalo City Stadium, which pleased Seema. The 29-year-old’s powerful strike from outside the area helped Sekhukhune climb to third place on the log.
“The club since day one of the incident has been there for Shaune and the families that were involved,” Seema said, TimesLive reported.
“Shaune was given the opportunity and time to take care [of] whatever matters were supposed to happen.
“The court [processes] are still going on. Having said that, we need to support Shaune and make sure he is part of us when he is available.
“He knows that as a club we have agreed to support him and his mental strength. I don’t think as a club we are being insensitive, we are showing ubuntu [and] that everyone deserves a second chance.
“That is why it is called an accident. We know he hasn’t forgotten what happened.”
According to reports, the child’s family has said that while they want justice they do not necessarily want the soccer star to go to jail.
“It shows the family … did not forget but they are trying to forgive,” Seema said.
“They say time heals, that is why this boy [Mogaila] can come to the field and do this because he knows the family said your life doesn’t have to stop but, ‘we know what happened, let’s see how it will go.’
“l can’t find the right words, but the family is really being supportive and we thank them.
“This boy [Mogaila], we could have easily lost him also if we threw him out in the dark and the cold saying ‘deal with it’.”
The Thembisa magistrate’s court on 4 February postponed the culpable homicide case against Mogaila until 19 May.
The footballer handed himself to police for the alleged reckless driving incident.
The crash, which happened on Andrew Mapheto Road in Thembisa in the early hours of 30 October last year, killed nine-year-old Gomolemo Mavimbela.
The National Prosecuting Authority said police found what is alleged to be alcohol bottles and drugs in Mogaila’s vehicle after the accident.
Pictured above: Lehlohonolo Seema.
Image source: @SekhukhuneFc
