He used to torment defenders with his dribbling skills and speed in the 80s and 90s on the pitch. Harold ’Jazzy Queen’ Legodi seems to have transferred his skills on the pitch to the family of his young son. Legodi (61), is said to have fathered a child with ex-girlfriend Robin Theron, who is 35 years old. Former Bafana Bafana and Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder who is also a former assistant coach at Orlando Pirates has been labelled a "deadbeat".
HE ONCE DENIED THE CHILD
Robin’s mother, Rene Theron (56) told ZiMoja that she is tired of taking care of her grandson financially as if his dad is not alive. According to Rene, the founder of Africa Sport Youth Development Academy had a brief love affair with her daughter between 2015 and 2016. "As soon as Robin fell pregnant, he changed. He firstly denied the child then changed the tune after we demanded a DNA test," she said. According to Rene, Legodi then sent his buddy, a former sports presenter who is known to ZiMoja, to speak to the family concerning the baby. "He sent the famous former presenter to tell me that he wants to be a part of the baby’s life and pay child support, and I said ’sure why not’,". According to Rene, Legodi then started paying R 1 500 a month. But he stopped during Covid-19 in 2020, "His money also went on quarantine and vanished," Rene said.
HE STOPPED PAYING PAPGELD DURING COVID
She added that he stopped paying and vanished into thin air. Rene said she was left with the responsibility of taking care of her grandchild who has undergone about nine surgeries due to his condition. His 7-year-son is said to be suffering from Hirschsprung disease, a condition that affects the large intestine (colon) and causes problems with passing stool. As a result, the boy cannot go to school. "My daughter lost her job as an air hostess during Covid-19 and my grandchild has special needs. He requires special medical attention which does not come cheap. I am suffering while his dad is out there chasing a nice time," she said. Rene says Legodi does not take her calls or her daughter’s, so she has to use someone else’s phone to reach him. "He won’t take our calls. I have tried everything to get him to support his child, but it’s a tough ask," she said. According to Rene, she went to Legodi’s house in Sandringham, but he would not open the door for her. "I have gone to his house several times with the police, but still he won’t open and unfortunately, I can’t jump over the walls because of my age," said Rene.
SHE HAS TRIED GOING TO COURT
She said around 2020, she went to the maintenance court to try and get Legodi to pay child support, but efforts drew a blank because the former Pirates assistant coach was even dodging the authorities. She said he has been dodging the sheriffs, saying that he is no longer based in Joburg. "He has been running away ever since without a trace. The only time I managed to trace him, he was in Emalahleni working as a trainer," she said.
THEY NEED HIM TO PAY MEDICAL BILLS
Rene said all she wants is help for her grandchild. "My daughter is trying, but she needs his help, hence I am coming forward. She now works at a call centre, and the maintenance of a child with special needs is hard. All we want from him is to show up for his son and help," she added. Grandmother Rene is appealing to whoever knows the Legodi’s whereabouts to tell him to contact the family since his seven-year-old needs medical care . "I am pleading to anyone who knows his whereabouts to please tell him his son needs him," Legodi refused to comment and dropped the phone and did not respond to our text messages.
