Children of Ellis Park disaster victims arrive in Ghana for May 9 commemoration

With the help of City Press in South Africa two children who are victims of the 2001 Ellis Park stadium disaster have joined Mr. Herbert Mensah and the 'May 9th Remembered organising team' for the 2016 remembrance activities in Kumasi.

The two, Ntlakanipho Zulu and Mmakgomo Tshetlo, arrived last night on a historic visit to Ghana via South African Airways flight SAA 57.

Ntlakanipho Zulu who lost both his parents in the worst sporting tragedy in South African history is now 23 years old.

According to him it was difficult to watch football matches, particularly the much-loved derbies between Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs.

In an interview with City Press Zulu said: 'My mother was a Chiefs fan. My dad was just there to support her. He was a Sundowns fan himself.'

His mother, Selina Maphanga, died at 25. His father, Nhlanhla Zulu, was 30.

Young Ntlakanipho was left an orphan, and his half-brother and half-sister had also lost a father.

He was raised by his grandparents in Duduza township on the East Rand.

Today he is studying at Wits towards his honours in international relations and hopes to enter the diplomatic service, with his big dream being able to work at the United Nations in New York.

Mmakgomo Matshidiso Tshetlo, who is now 28 years old, saw her dad the last time during the first school holidays of the year in which he passed away that tragic day on 11 April 2001.

According to her she had a premonition that her father had passed on from a shooting incident which was reported in the City Press.

She shared the horrifying details of the dream with her mother and aunt, only for that dream to manifest few weeks later in the form of the stadium disaster.

The two are in Ghana to support activities marking the 15th anniversary of Ghana's stadium disaster with happened on May 9, 2001 when Kumasi Asante Kotoko played Accra Hearts of Oak at the Accra Sports Stadium.

The remembrance activities in Kumasi will include a massive street march, visits to the mosque and a church and a special May 9th football match between teams from Accra and Kumasi.

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