Luckyboy Mokoena’s wife Nomfundo Dladla has confirmed that the former defender passed away on Tuesday after a short illness.
Dladla said her husband was admitted to hospital on Monday but passed away the following day. Together they had one child, which is turning eight years old this year.
The 30-year-old was last on the books of TS Galaxy, who released him at the end of the 2021/22 season. He tried his luck at Royal AM last season, but things didn’t work out.
“He was ill, and he was admitted on Monday, and he passed away on Tuesday,” Mokoena’s wife told iDiski Times in short.
Dladla said they would make an update about the funeral arrangement sometime next week.
Mokoena, in a professional setup, started his career with Mpumalanga Black Aces in the 2012/13 season. He then joined Chippa in the following campaign, where he helped gain PSL promotion under Vladislav Heric, who was assisted by the now late Roger Sikhakhane.
Mokoena was on the move again, joining Garankuwa United, then Ubuntu Cape Town, and spent two seasons with Real Kings.
He joined Highlands Park ahead of the 2017/18 season after a sterling display at Kings, helping the Tembisa-based club to PSL promotion.
He was there for three years, as they finished in the top eight in the 2018/19 campaign under Owen da Gama. They went to the MTN8 final, losing to Kaitano Tembo’s SuperSport United at Orlando Stadium in the 2019/20 season.
As Highlands status was sold to Tim Sukazi’s TS Galaxy, he spent two seasons with the Rockets between 2020 and 2022.
“I groomed Luckyboy from the age of 11 and he went to Kaizer Chiefs and was coached by Doctor Khumalo,” said Molefi Xango, his development coach who followed his career closely thereafter.
“From there he moved to Bidvest Wits in their Vodacom team, and he was promoted to the senior team, but he was loaned to Mpumalanga Black Aces.
“It is sad to hear he has passed away.”
We, at iDiski Times, would like to express our condolences to Mokoena’s family and friends, as well as the broader South African football fraternity as a whole.
