MyZA

News, Directory, Events and Other Stuff

You are here: Home / News / SAFA mourns the passing of Richard Lata – South African Football Association

SAFA mourns the passing of Richard Lata – South African Football Association

21 April 2026 – The South African Football Association (SAFA) is saddened to hear about the passing of former Benoni United player Richard ‘Litre’ Lata. The 72-year-old Lata was surrounded by members of his family when he passed away at a Boksburg hospital in the East of Johannesburg on the morning of 16 April 2026.

The post SAFA mourns the passing of Richard Lata appeared first on South African Football Association.

21 April 2026 – The South African Football Association (SAFA) is saddened to hear about the passing of former Benoni United player Richard ‘Litre’ Lata.

The 72-year-old Lata was surrounded by members of his family when he passed away at a Boksburg hospital in the East of Johannesburg on the morning of 16 April 2026. He was only a month away from his 73rd birthday.

His son Charles Lata said his father, a former midfielder and striker, spent more than a decade at Benoni United and his erstwhile teammates will play a role during the memorial service and at the funeral this week.

The memorial service will be held at the Church of Christ at 4252/3 Msibi Street, Daveyton, on Thursday, 23 April 2026 from 14h00. Charles confirmed that his father will be buried on Saturday, 25 April 2026 at the Christ Redeemer Anglican Church in Daveyton. The service starts at 07h00.

His passing is a huge loss and we as SAFA offer our deepest condolences. We join his family in mourning his passing.

May his soul Rest in Peace.

South African Football: The team has participated in various international tournaments beyond AFCON and the World Cup.

Category: , Tag: ,

If you feel strongly about this article then feel free to send MyZA a ‘Letter to the Editor’ using the submission form below:

Letter to the Editor

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
If this is in response to an article please include that article title here or as the lead in for the first paragraph of your Letter below.

Separate tags with commas

Localise your letter by naming the city your words are about. Add relevant words describing your subject. Single comma separated words of no more than 5
Your Name(Required)
Your Name will be linked to the website below.
Your personal, business or social media web site
Choose NO to not set up a user account on MyZA. User Accounts will allow you to submit letters under your own Author Name

3 Latest Letters to the Editor:

  • Fun South African fact

    Dear Editor Fun South African fact: towns like Franschhoek and Stellenbosch are home to world-class wine farms set in stunning, scenic surroundings. Regards Aressa Smith In Response to/From: Luxury Properties Seized in New Lottery Crackdown

  • Condolences on the Passing of Lusanda Dumke

    Statement by Leander Kruger MPL – DA Buffalo City Constituency Leader: The Democratic Alliance in Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality mourns the passing of Springbok Women’s rugby player and Mdantsane trailblazer, Lusanda Dumke, who lost her battle with cancer at the age of 28. South Africa has lost an exceptional athlete, a leader, and a source…

  • Rape Kits Delivered, But…

    Statement by Nicholas Gotsell MP – DA NCOP Member on Security & Justice: The DA can confirm that 2 840 rape kits arrived in Cape Town on Monday, following sustained DA oversight and pressure after multiple police stations across the Western Cape were found to be without this critical forensic evidence tool. While this delivery…