Sinethemba Jantjie | |
Birth Date: | 15 February 1989 |
Death Place: | Bethlehem, South Africa |
Position: | Winger |
Years1: | 2015–2016 |
Clubs1: | Mbombela United |
Caps1: | 12 |
Goals1: | 3 |
Years2: | 2016–2019 |
Clubs2: | Free State Stars |
Caps2: | 63 |
Goals2: | 8 |
Totalcaps: | 75 |
Totalgoals: | 11 |
Sinethemba Jantjie (15 February 1989 – 1 April 2019) was a South African professional footballer who played for Mbombela United and Free State Stars as a winger.
Jantjie came from Whittlesea.
Jantjie was described as a "late bloomer who rose to prominence in the 2015/16 season with Mbombela United when he helped take the club close to promotion to the Premier League". During that season he scored 3 goals in 12 league games. He then moved to Free State Stars for the 2016–17 season, scoring 8 goals in 63 league games during his 3 seasons with the club. He was due to sign for Bidvest Wits ahead of the 2019–20 season. Following his death, Bidvest Wits declared his contract "null and void".[1]
Jantjie died in a road accident in Bethlehem on 1 April 2019, aged 30.[2] He was buried on 6 April 2019.[1] At his funeral the Free State Stars players said they would dedicate the remaining games to Jantjie's memory.[3] [4]
Following his death, Free State Stars' next match was postponed for his funeral,[5] whilst the PSL said their forthcoming fixtures would observe a minute's silence.[6]