JOHANNESBURG, May 4 -- The South African Football Association (SAFA) joined the SA football fraternity in passing its condolences to the family of renowned coach Eddie Lewis who passed away on Monday, after a protracted battle with prostate cancer.
A former footballer with English giants, Manchester United, Lewis coached top South African teams successfully and his passing leaves a void which will be difficult to fill.
Among his outstanding achievements, Lewis coached Soweto giants Kaizer Chiefs, Moroka Swallows and Wits University during his outstanding coaching spell in the country and was also a member of Jomo Sono's technical team that reached the finals of the Africa Cup of Nations in Burkina Faso that eventually lost 2-0 to Egypt.
When he stopped coaching, Lewis joined pay-per-view channel SuperSport where he again endeared himself to soccer lovers with his incisive analysis and commentary.
"This is a massive loss to the South African football fraternity and, on behalf of Safa, I would like to pass my deepest condolences to the Lewis family and friends. We join them in this hour of need and sorrow," said Safa president Kirsten Nematandani.
Moroka Swallows, a club he last worked for as a technical advisor said, "Eddie had a huge passion for football, but also for life and he was never short of a joke to tell. Eddie had a passion for Youth Development, and had significant impact in bringing young players through to the Swallows squad.
Upon hearing of the death of Lewis, Orlando Pirates chairman Dr Irvin Khoza said it was great loss for South African football.
"The passing away of Eddie Lewis is great loss to Moroka Swallows and to South African football as a whole. Eddie joined the old National Professional Soccer League when it was not fashionable and when it was not clear in which direction the country was taking," he said.
"His presence gave the confidence to sponsors at the time to back the league and he was already there when the NPSL went multi-racial in 1976."