Hammers won't land Moon after tragic road death

West Ham have had to call off their pursuit of promising defender Bryce Moon, in a story which tells you much about modern South Africa.

Earlier in the summer, the Hammers agreed a fee with Panathinaikos for the 23-year-old right-back and he was keen to move to Upton Park.

Then disaster struck. On Monday 29 June, Moon's Mercedes hit 25-year-old cleaner Mavis Ncube on a road in the Sandton area of Johannesburg and she later died.

Moon was travelling home from a party held by Bafana Bafana captain Aaron Moekena. He admitted he had had two beers at the party, but denied he was drunk.

Initial reports that a blood sample had been taken at the scene and that Moon had been charged with culpable homicide were later dismissed by police and inquiries are ongoing.

Anyone who has visited South Africa won't be surprised to hear these allegations of drink driving, as it seems to be a problem of epidemic proportions in the country.

I encountered seemingly respectable people drink driving when I visited, claiming "it's what we do here".

While Moon might be disappointed that his move to the Premiership has fallen through, our thoughts should be with the victim.

There were reports that three hospitals had refused to admit Ncube because she did not have medical insurance, claims which were denied by the hospitals in question...