South African footballer surrenders to police after fatal accident

A South African footballer will be charged with manslaughter and reckless and negligent driving after he allegedly fled the scene of a fatal car crash that killed a young girl, local police say.

On Wednesday morning, Sekhukhune United player Shaun Mogaila, 29, allegedly crashed his BMW into a car carrying an adult woman and two children in Gauteng province.

The nine-year-old was “pronounced dead at the scene,” a police spokesperson told local news site IOL.

Mr Mogaila turned himself in at Rabie Ridge police station hours after the crash.

The player was expected to appear in court but there had been delays, a spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) told the news site SowetanLive.

The woman and the 13-year-old are currently being treated in hospital.

Sekhukhune United has not yet commented on the incident.

A video of the crash, captured on a dashcam, has gone viral on social media, with many people expressing their outrage.

“This is what scares me about driving these days, the fact that I can get in the car and drive safely with my family and still die,” said one X user.

However, some have come out to defend the footballer and praised him for turning himself in to the police.

“You who are busy convicting Shaune Mogaila, let’s hope you don’t own a car, you have no idea what happens once you cause an accident, not even anyone gets hurt, the poor man later turned himself in after regaining his senses came,” said another X user.

Hours before the accident, the player had taken part in a match against the Richards Bay team at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane, Limpopo.