Daily Sun (April 8 2015) - THE two cars stopped at the side of the road and the passengers got out for a pee.
Soccer star Richard Henyekane got back into the car but his team member at Ea Lla Koto, Bokang Hlone, said he would rather go in the other car.
BOKANG HAD NO WAY OF KNOWING, BUT HE WAS MAKING A LIFE-AND-DEATH DECISION.
Only a few kilometres later, the car with Richard "Kimberley Express" Henyekane in it, smashed into a truck at high speed and burst into flames.
Richard and the other four passengers died on impact.
They were coming from a party in Qwa-Qwa, Free State in a VW Cross Polo when the crash happened outside Bethlehem at about 1am on Tuesday morning.
It appears that Richard was driving.
In a twist of fate, it's believed that Bokang's decision to jump into the other car a few kilometres before the crash saved his life.
"This boy is very, very lucky," a source told Daily Sun.
Richard and Bokang were close buddies. Bokang was replaced by Richard in the Stars' 1-0 loss to AmaZulu on Saturday.
The crash comes just four months after the burial of his younger brother Joseph, who was buried in Kimberley, Northern Cape, their place of birth.
All the Stars players were allegedly warned by the technical team that they should be careful during the Easter holidays.
Mike Mokoena, owner of Free State Stars, said he was woken by Rantsi Mokoena, the Stars' general manager, who broke the news to him.
"I went cold when he told me. It's as if we've lost a family member," he said.
A press release issued by the office of Rantsi Mokoena said the Free State Stars mourns the passing of Richard Henyekane.
Mike Mokoena said in the statement that Richard was a great club player.
"While we mourn the loss of a very young life, we are deeply honoured to have enjoyed such a short but successful association with Richard," he said.
According to the release, the funeral service will be held at Richard's house in Vergenoeg, Galeshewe, Kimberley this Saturday.
Mokoena sent his condolences to Henyekane's family and friends.
Club assistant coach Themba Sithole said they will have to change their plans as they have built their strategy around Richard. Stars are 14th on the PSL log.
Henyekane, a former Bafana Bafana striker, had played for Golden Arrows and Mamelodi Sundowns before joining Free State Stars.
The PSL will have to postpone Stars' next game against Ajax Cape Town which is scheduled for Tuesday.
Sello Nduna, Bloemfontein Celtic's public relations officer, said the death of Henyekane was a big loss to the country, not only Free State Stars. "What happened to Free State Stars and his family is very sad," he said.
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