Jacob Lekgetho Tribute

Former Moroka Swallows and Lokomotiv Moscow defender Jacob ‘Bobo’ Lekgetho, 34, has died in Johannesburg after a long illness.

Swallows kit manager Junior Molefe confirmed the sad news.

"At Swallows, we still have to find a leftback that was as good as Jacob Lekgetho," he tells KickOff.com. "He is one of the best players ever to don the Moroka Swallows maroon and white jersey.”

Lekgetho appeared 26 times for Bafana Bafana and played locally for Swallows until he left in 2001 to play in Russia for Lokomotiv Moscow. In 2004 he returned to South Africa following the death of his wife.

He was in the Bafana squad for the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan, coming on as a substitute in the 3-2 defeat to Spain and made his debut against Malta in a 1-0 win in May 2000. His last international was the 3-0 defeat to Ghana in the 2006 World Cup qualifier in Kumasi.

Born in Moletsane in Soweto, he made his top flight debut in 1996 for the Dube Birds and would go on to make 155 appearances for the club before leaving for Russia.