Mandla Maseko who is schedule to travel on a sub-orbital trip that could have seen him become the first black African in space has been killed in a motorcycle accident.

Maseko, popularly known as Spaceboy and Afronaut, was one of 23 people who won a seat on a trip to space sponsored by the Axe Apollo Space Academy.

“It is with deep sadness that the Maseko family confirms that Mandla Maseko tragically passed away in a bike accident last night, July 6 2019. Maseko will be sorely missed. May Mandla Maseko’s kind and beautiful soul rest in eternal peace.” family spokesperson Sthembile Shabangu said in a media release on Sunday.

Maseko, 30, grew up in Soshanguve, north of Pretoria, and was a candidate officer in the South African Air Force.

“I wanted to do something that will motivate and inspire the youth of South Africa and Africa as a whole, and hopefully to some extent, the youth worldwide, and show that it doesn’t matter what background you come from, you can have whatever you want as long as you put hard work and determination into it,” he said in an interview with the BBC.

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