Lebogang Morula

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Lebogang Morula

| image =

| full_name = Lebogang Ghiba Morula

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1966|12|18|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Brits, North West, South Africa

| death_date = {{death date and age|2024|08|07|1966|12|18|df=yes}}

| height = 1.80 m{{Worldfootball.net|lebogang-morula}}

| position = Midfielder, forward

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 =

| years1 = 1991–1995

| clubs1 = Jomo Cosmos

| caps1 =

| goals1 =

| years2 = 1995

| clubs2 = Once Caldas

| caps2 = 1

| goals2 = 0

| years3 = 1996

| clubs3 = Aurich–Cañaña

| caps3 =

| goals3 = 1+{{cite web|url=http://retrobolas.blogspot.com.br/2012_05_05_archive.html|title=Sangre Africana en El Norte|last=Retrobolas|date=5 May 2012|website=retrobolas.blogspot.com.br|accessdate=22 March 2018}}

| years4 = 1997

| clubs4 = Jomo Cosmos

| caps4 =

| goals4 =

| years5 = 1997–1998

| clubs5 = Vanspor

| caps5 = 16

| goals5 = 1

| years6 = 1998–2001

| clubs6 = Jomo Cosmos

| caps6 =

| goals6 =

| nationalyears1 = 1998

| nationalteam1 = South Africa

| nationalcaps1 = 1

| nationalgoals1 = 0

}}

Lebogang Ghiba Morula{{cite web|url=http://www.sowetanlive.co.za/news/2010/11/24/ex-bafana-player-linked-to-hijacking?filter=all_comments|title=Ex-Bafana player linked to hijacking|website=sowetanlive.co.za|accessdate=22 March 2018}} (sometimes spelt Lebohang) (22 December 1968 – 7 August 2024) was a South African soccer player who played as a midfielder or forward.

Club career

Morula started his career at Jomo Cosmos in South Africa and moved in 1995 to Colombian club Once Caldas with fellow South African footballer Teboho Moloi in a "pay as you play" contract.{{cite web|url=http://www.eltiempo.com/archivo/documento/MAM-458460|title=Hoy Debuta Morula|website=El Tiempo|date=19 November 1995|accessdate=22 March 2018}} He made his debut against Deportes Quindío becoming the first African player to appear in the Categoría Primera A. However, he disliked the contract based on appearances and left the club after playing only 20 minutes.{{cite web|url=http://m.golcaracol.com/futbol-colombiano/liga-postobon/articulo-260104-de-europeos-y-africanos-unos-un-acierto-otros-unos-paquetes|title=Buscar noticias y contenidos en GOL Caracol|website=golcaracol.com|accessdate=22 March 2018}}

In 1996, he was brought to Peru by former South Africa manager Augusto Palacios to play for Aurich–Cañaña,{{cite web|publisher=De Chalaca|title=Made in Africa|url=http://dechalaca.com/informes/curiosidades/tierra-de-encuentros|language=Spanish|date=29 February 2012|accessdate=12 February 2016}}{{cite web|url=http://juanaurich-elciclondelnorte.blogspot.com.br/2016/02/el-hijo-de-morula.html|title=juanaurich-elciclondelnorte: El hijo de Morula|first=El|last=Aurichista|date=3 February 2016|website=juanaurich-elciclondelnorte.blogspot.com.br|accessdate=22 March 2018}} ending the season relegated from the 1996 Torneo Descentralizado.

In 1997, Morula returned to Jomo Cosmos, scoring once in the Rothmans Cup against AmaZulu.{{cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesz/zaf98.html|title=South Africa 1997/98|website=RSSSF|accessdate=22 March 2018}} He joined Turkish club Vanspor in December,{{cite web|publisher=TFF|title=Lebogang William Morula|url=http://www.tff.org.tr/Default.aspx?pageId=526&kisiId=29299|accessdate=21 August 2009}} playing 16 Süper Lig matches and scoring once against Kocaelispor, but could not avoid ending at the bottom at the table and left the club after the end of the season. He returned to Jomo Cosmos as a player-assistanthttp://www.iol.co.za/sport/cosmos-lose-out-to-stars-as-quieroz-looks-on-1.346729 {{Dead link|date=February 2022}} before ending his career in 2001.

International career

Morula acquired Peruvian citizenship by the time he played at Juan Aurich, but opted to play for the South Africa national team.{{cite web |url=http://m24arg02.naspers.com/argief/berigte/citypress/1998/06/21/11/2.html |title=Citypress Sunday 21 June 1998 p. 11 |website=m24arg02.naspers.com |access-date=13 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160216000913/http://m24arg02.naspers.com/argief/berigte/citypress/1998/06/21/11/2.html |archive-date=16 February 2016 |url-status=dead}} He appeared once in a friendly match against Iceland{{cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/intldetails/1998ic.html|title=International Matches 1998 - Intercontinental|website=RSSSF|accessdate=22 March 2018}} and was a member of the squad that travelled to France for the 1998 FIFA World Cup.[https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/archive/edition=1013/teams/team=43883.html 1998 FIFA World Cup - South Africa Squad] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090615133838/http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/archive/edition=1013/teams/team=43883.html |date=15 June 2009 }}

Personal life

Morula was born in Brits, North West.

His son Karol Josep Lebogang Bernal was born in Peru and is a right-back,{{cite web | url=https://www.snl24.com/kickoff/sanews/sa-players-abroad/karol-lebogang-son-of-ex-bafana-midfielder-lebo-morula-joins-juan-aurich-20200925 | title=Karol Lebogang, son of ex-Bafana midfielder Lebo Morula joins Juan Aurich }} having trained with the Peru U23 national team.{{cite news|url=http://depor.pe/futbol-internacional/seleccion-peruana-hijo-mundialista-sudafricano-podria-jugar-peru-1064270|title=Selección Peruana: Hijo de mundialista sudafricano podría jugar por Perú|first=Redacción|last=Depor|date=4 February 2016|newspaper=Depor|accessdate=22 March 2018}}{{cite web|url=http://www.diariodeunscout.com/fabrica-de-talento/scouting-karol-lebogang|title=Scouting: Karol Lebogang|date=27 November 2015|website=diariodeunscout.com|accessdate=22 March 2018}}

Morula was arrested for many crimes such as hijacking,{{cite web|url=http://www.kickoff.com/news/24834/former-jomo-cosmos-player-lebohang-morula-arrested-for-hijacking|title=Former Jomo Cosmos player Lebohang Morula arrested for hijacking|last=www.realnet.co.uk|website=kickoff.com|date=11 October 2011|accessdate=22 March 2018|archive-date=1 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180701030742/http://www.kickoff.com/news/24834/former-jomo-cosmos-player-lebohang-morula-arrested-for-hijacking|url-status=dead}} stealing cars{{Cite web |url=http://www.southafricalatestnews.co.za/sports/434-ex-bafana-bafana-soccer-star-now-a-house-robber-gets-arrested-during-honeymoon.html |title=Ex-Bafana Bafana soccer star now a house robber, gets arrested during honeymoon - South Africa Latest News |access-date=12 February 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160216130059/http://www.southafricalatestnews.co.za/sports/434-ex-bafana-bafana-soccer-star-now-a-house-robber-gets-arrested-during-honeymoon.html |archive-date=16 February 2016 |url-status=dead }} generators and electronic goods,{{cite web|url=http://www.southafricalatestnews.co.za/news/1344-name-of-ex-bafana-bafana-and-jomo-cosmos-player-who-s-been-arrested-for-robbery-hijacking-revealed.html|title=Drama as Zimbabweans beat up 2 South African Policemen for being too corrupt|date=11 January 2015|website=southafricalatestnews.co.za|accessdate=22 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161026191735/http://www.southafricalatestnews.co.za/news/1344-name-of-ex-bafana-bafana-and-jomo-cosmos-player-who-s-been-arrested-for-robbery-hijacking-revealed.html|archive-date=26 October 2016|url-status=dead}} ATM robbery,{{cite web|url=http://www.iol.co.za/news/crime-courts/former-bafana-star-nabbed-by-hawks-1820979|title=Former Bafana star nabbed by Hawks - IOL News|website=iol.co.za|accessdate=22 March 2018}} and armed robbery.{{cite web|url=http://www.sowetanlive.co.za/news/2015/02/28/ex-bafana-star-s-gang-used-signal-jammer-in-heist|title=SowetanLIVE|website=www.sowetanlive.co.za|accessdate=22 March 2018}} He was also convicted of malicious damage to property back in 1986 and theft in 2004.http://www.ann7.com/article/31997-1105201511052015-morula-back-in-court-for-bail-application.html#.Vr3XFPkrKM8

He also faced controversy in his second marriage in 2014 when his bride's mother and two of his sons attempted to stop the wedding stating he was still married to his legal wife, who was on her deathbed. It was also stated that his new wife had a boyfriend and that he struck Morula with a buttstock later in the same night.{{cite web|url=http://newsbite.it/index-id-gossip-zk-20954.html|title=Former footballer arrested soon after wedding :: NewsBite|last=eDuzeNet|website=newsbite.it|accessdate=22 March 2018}}

Death

He was shot and killed near his family home in Moumong, Mmaku, South Africa, on 7 August 2024.{{cite web|url=https://www.snl24.com/dailysun/celebs/former-jomo-cosmos-and-bafana-player-lebogang-morula-was-shot-dead-in-north-west-20240808|title=Ex-Bafana star shot dead!|last=|website=Daily Sun|accessdate=11 November 2024}}