A second South African international footballer has been targeted in an armed robbery after the parents of midfielder Sibusiso Vilakazi were held up while he slept slept in a neighbouring property, Reuters reports.
The close call comes days after goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa was shot dead in a botched robbery at the home of his girlfriend on Oct. 26.
Vilakazi was a roommate of Meyiwa in recent national team camps and claims the robbers asked for him specifically, but his parents would not disclose he was sleeping in a cottage behind the house.
The South African national team called for an end to the violence via Twitter.
In wake of Senzo's tragic death & now the robbery at Sbusiso Vilakazi parents home, we must say enough is enough. This must stop @DChimhavi
- Bafana Bafana (@BafanaBafana) November 5, 2014
The 24-year-old South African Player of the Year, who plays for the Bidvest Wits club in Johannesburg, lost only some clothes, while his parents had jewellery and household items stolen.
"I was sleeping in one of the rooms at the back. They asked about my whereabouts and the keys of my car," he told local media.
"My mom, father and young brother were held hostage by the criminals. They took cash, TV set, music system, wedding rings from my parents and some of my clothing.
"Everything happened when I was sleeping and I didn't hear anything. Imagine if I woke up and went in what would have happened. I'm still hurt and trying to recover from what happened to Senzo Meyiwa."
Vilakazi was on Tuesday named in the South Africa squad for the African Nations Cup qualifiers home to Sudan (Nov. 15) and away to Nigeria (Nov. 19).
Even though South Africa's murder rate has been gradually dropping, police recorded more than 17,000 murders last year, Reuters reported.