• Free State Stars loanee dies following car crash in Bethlehem • Henyekane made nine appearances for South Africa in 2009

This article is more than 5 years old

This article is more than 5 years old

Richard Henyekane, a former South Africa striker, has been killed in a car crash.

The 31-year-old Free State Stars player was travelling with four others in a vehicle but was the only one to die in the crash. Henyekane made nine appearances for South Africa in 2009. He was on loan at the club from Pretoria’s Mamelodi Sundowns.

Henyekane was used as a substitute in Stars’ 1-0 loss to AmaZulu at Durban in the Premier Soccer League on Saturday.

South African media reported the crash happened in Bethlehem, the town in central South Africa where Free State Stars are based.

Ajax Cape Town (@ajaxcapetown) Our heartfelt condolences goes out to the friends and family of Richard Henyekane. May his soul R.I.P #henyekane pic.twitter.com/XZXXIRQaX1

Other South African clubs, the South African Football Association president Danny Jordaan, and the minister of sport have all sent messages of condolence for Henyekane.

Henyekane’s younger brother, Joseph, who was also a footballer, died in December. South Africa has a poor road safety record. The former 800m world champion Mbulaeni Mulaudzi died in a road accident late last year.