Awande Mkhize collapsed and died during an inter-school rugby match. Picture: Supplied Awande Mkhize collapsed and died during an inter-school rugby match. Picture: Supplied
Durban - The brother of a 16-year-old rugby player who collapsed and died during a match in Pietermaritzburg has spoken of the heartache at seeing first aiders try in vain to resuscitate his little brother.
Awande Mkhize, a Grade 11 pupil at Haythorne High School in Woodlands in Pietermaritzburg, was playing an inter-school game at Alexandra High School on Wednesday when he collapsed with 10 minutes to go in the match.
His teammate and brother, Thandolwethu Mkhize, 18, said that after he collapsed, officials ran towards Awande and began performing CPR on him. Paramedics were also called.
Speaking from his home in Beacon Hill near Pietermaritzburg, Thandolwethu said: “I rushed to his side. He held me by my wrist tightly and opened his eyes, but as his grip loosened, I saw him slump to his death.”
He said that when the first aiders got to Awande, he was struggling to breathe.
They immediately began performing CPR.
“I saw his lips turn purple and his feet were ice cold. It was a tense and frightening moment,” he said.
The head coach at Alexandra High, Sherwin Brothy, rushed to nearby Medi-Clinic to get the paramedics to come to the school.
Thandolwethu said that when paramedics arrived, his brother still had a pulse, but was not responsive.
As paramedics worked on him, the rest of the players knelt, with hands clasped and prayed in earnest.
“We were shocked when we saw him slump to the ground. At that stage, I was praying, hoping everything was going to be well. I was thinking of my father who was in hospital and my mother and younger sister,” he said.
Thandolwethu said he had initially thought his younger brother may have been concussed as he had fallen on his back after receiving the ball.
Their parents were too distraught to speak.
Young Awande was, according to his peers, a brilliant hooker for his team. He was big and robust, earning him the nickname “Choppa” after a character on the soapie Generations.
The brothers attended Allandale Primary and later went to Haythorne High.
Thandolwethu said that last year they were both selected to play for the Midlands rugby team.
Awande’s parents are both teachers.
On the day of the incident, his mother had been picking up his father from St Anne’s Hospital where he had recently undergone an operation.
Their cousin, Nontobeko Jila, was among the many mourners at the house on Thursday.
“The two boys have been brilliant and respectful teenagers. Their parents were very proud of them and so were friends and relatives,” Jila said.