Stellenbosch head coach Gavin Hunt is hoping to honour the memory of Jeandre Gaffoor by giving a good performance against Kaizer Chiefs in the Nedbank Cup round of 32 at the Cape Town Stadium on Wednesday.
The Maroons confirmed the passing of Gaffoor at the age of 20 on Monday with the tragedy of Oshwin Andries still fresh on the minds after the 19-year-old defender was murdered three years ago.
Gaffoor was a member of their DStv Diski Challenge team and featured prominently as Stellies finished runners-up in the reserve league last season.
The club gave no details other than to describe the former Cape Town Spurs youngster’s death as “untimely” and Hunt praised their handling of yet another “tragic” event.
Hunt’s side come up against an in-form Amakhosi, who are the defending champions after beating arch-rivals Orlando Pirates 2-1 in the 2025 final to lift their first piece of silverware in a decade.
Hunt, who is a two-time winner of the competition with Moroka Swallows (2004) and SuperSport United (2012), wants to mark the “sad occasion” by lifting everyone’s spirits with a memorable result against Chiefs.
“It’s really a sad occasion what’s happened, it’s tragic. A young boy like that who’s only starting his football career and we can only support the family which the club is doing,” Hunt said in his pre-match press conference.
“[We] Just try to keep them in our thoughts and prayers… and if anything can we do it for the youngster tomorrow (Wednesday) and give a good performance and if it brings any little bit of extra motivation or feeling about the place.
“We certainly will try and remember him and win a game of football, which doesn’t take away the sadness but it can help the atmosphere around the place a little bit more for that moment.
“Saying that, there’s more important things than football sometimes, which is life and what has happened. So very sad occasion.
“Internally the club has handled it exceptionally well, the best we can do and we can only give support to the family and friends and team-mates who feel it also, guys who were really close to the boy.”
