Kaizer Chiefs defender Luke Fleurs was given a hero’s send-off in his hometown of Mitchells Plain on Saturday.
Fleurs, 24, was shot and killed earlier this month following a botched hijacking at a garage in Johannesburg's northern suburb of Honeydew.
The soccer star who hails from Westridge was waiting for a petrol attendant at a garage when two armed men pulled up in a white BMW 1 Series and confronted him while he was parked in his red VW Golf 8 GTI.
The armed suspects forced Fleurs out of the vehicle before shooting him once in the upper body.
Fleurs was rushed to hospital but was declared dead on arrival.
Police said six suspects have subsequently been arrested and appeared in court after Fleur’s car was recovered in Slovoville, Soweto.
On Saturday, more than a thousand mourners came to pay their last respects to the rising footie star.
Luke’s black and white casket, accompanied by a marching band, made several stops in the Westridge area before making its way to a packed New Apostolic Church in Tafelsig.
Here, Fleurs was remembered for being a lively and joyful person, leaving behind a legacy of hard work and thousands of good memories for fans, family and friends.
Amongst the pallbearers were current and former players from the DStv Premiership as well as coaches, family and friends.
During the church service, the officiating minister eulogised: “If you look at the pictures and videos of Luke, you will see that he is always smiling. He is full of fun and he is full of joy.
“He is a lively person, and that is the memories, we as loved ones, as friends, as family, that is things we can treasure.
“Although Luke is no longer with us but the memories and the legacy that he has left behind is entrenched in our hearts and memories.”
The Fleurs family thanked everyone who played a role in his life and career, and read out messages from various football bodies, including consoling messages from international soccer stars Lionel Messi and Benni McCarthy.
Members of the official Kaizer Chiefs supporters club in the Western Cape expressed their grief after the casket left the hall, singing and ululating as they paid tribute to a fallen soldier.
Although he never made a competitive start for the Soweto giants, Fleurs’ number 26 jersey has been retired, the club confirmed during a memorial service at the FNB Stadium last week.