South Africa confirmed on July 11, 2026, that the nation lost two young sporting stars within hours of each other. Former South African Rugby Under-18 prop Luqobo Makwedini, aged 20, died just hours before Bafana Bafana and Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Jayden Adams, aged 25.
President Ramaphosa Issues Official Condolences
President Cyril Ramaphosa issued an official statement confirming both deaths and extending his personal condolences to the families of the two athletes. The statement named Makwedini, provided his age, and acknowledged his career in France as well as his earlier service with the South African Under-18 rugby squad.
Ramaphosa described the timing of the losses as especially painful, noting they came while South Africa was in the middle of the FIFA World Cup tournament and on the same day that the Springboks and Springbok Women's teams were scheduled to face Scotland and the USA Eagles respectively in Pretoria.
"It is particularly tragic that we are suffering the loss of two outstanding, young athletes at a time when our nation continues to immerse itself in the FIFA World Cup tournament, as well as the Springboks' and Springbok Women's matches against Scotland and the USA Eagles in Pretoria today," Ramaphosa said in the statement.
Tributes to Their Contributions
The President also paid tribute to what both players had contributed to South African sport during their short careers. "We are grateful for the joy and victories Jayden and Luqobo have given us and their teams as they lived their dreams and held South Africa's name high on the scoreboards of global sport," he added. "May their souls rest in peace."
Beyond the immediate families, Ramaphosa extended his sympathies to Adams' teammates at both Bafana Bafana and Mamelodi Sundowns, as well as to Makwedini's former Under-18 colleagues and his club side in France, where the young prop had been based.
Nation in Mourning Over Double Loss
The confirmation of Makwedini's death added a second layer of grief to a nation already absorbing news of Adams' passing. Both athletes represented a generation of South African talent that had broken through to compete at senior and international level.
In a related development, Legit.ng earlier reported that Argentina's place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup semi-finals was accompanied by an emotional show of respect as Lionel Messi and his teammates paid tribute to the late South African midfielder Jayden Adams before their 3-1 quarter-final victory over Switzerland. The football world was left in shock after news emerged that Adams had died at the age of 25, only weeks after representing Bafana Bafana during the tournament in the United States. The midfielder had featured in three matches as South Africa reached the knockout stage for the first time in their history.
