Soccer star's murder highlights South Africa's crime problem as election nears

FILE PHOTO: A mourner holds a photo near the coffin of Luke Fleurs, South Africa's Kaizer Chiefs defender, at the funeral outside the New Apostolic Church in Mitchells Plain, Cape Town, South Africa, April 20, 2024. REUTERS/Esa Alexander/File Photo

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - In the South African township where Luke Fleurs grew up, some friends joined gangs before they reached high school age, but Fleurs found another path: he was so brilliant at soccer that he rose to be a professional player at South Africa's top club.

Fleurs' success story ended abruptly last month when he was killed at a Johannesburg petrol station by someone stealing his car.