Outrage follows Dube's slaying

2007-10-19 14:31

Johannesburg - The condolences streaming in for slain reggae star Lucky Dube on Friday were accompanied by outrage and calls for more efforts to reduce the country's violent crime.

Dube was shot dead in a botched hijacking in Rosettenville, Johannesburg on Thursday night. Inkatha Freedom Party MP Velaphi Ndlovu said SA was once again making headlines, "for all the wrong reasons".

"The minister of safety and security and the president are in denial about crime and are refusing to admit to the size and severity of the problem. Government apathy is what leads to 50 murders daily in this country."

The party called on the government to reveal how it planned to stop the "bloodbath".

The Pan Africanist Congress voiced its "shock and anger" at Dube's "cold-blooded murder".

"We pass our condolences to Lucky's family and the families of other victims of violent crime in the country. We call on the government to empower citizens... by releasing crime statistics regularly," said party co-ordinator Modini Maivha.

The African Christian Democratic Party also sent its condolences to Dube's family and called for the reinstatement of the death penalty.

'No respect'

The party's Western Cape representative Hansie Louw said: "Will the death penalty not reduce the senseless killings? There is no respect for life."

The Congress of SA Trade Unions said it was "appalled and outraged" at the murder.

The Democratic Alliance said the country had been robbed of one of its most "talented and patriotic musical ambassadors".

"The circumstances surrounding his murder again illustrate that violent crime in SA is out of control, and that government's remedies to address this scourge have failed," said spokesperson on arts and culture Desiree van der Walt.

"Lucky Dube did so much for our country, both as an artist and as a patriot."

The ANC Youth League said the "Lion of Juda" rose to prominence during the worst period in SA's history.

"His music was an inspiration to the struggling masses and his song Am A Slave brought hope to millions of young people, said the league's Zizi Kodwa," he added.

Dube 'a perfectionist'

The Creative Workers Union of SA said the country had been deprived of a legend.

"Police should do whatever it takes to bring the perpetrators to book," said the union's general secretary Oupa Lebogo.

Recording artist, anti-apartheid activist and poet Mzwakhe Mbuli, who had known Dube "for years" and broke the news of his death to the family, said Dube was soft-spoken, "a perfectionist when it comes to the arts" and that he had a wide vocal range.

Meanwhile, Gauteng's police commissioner Perumal Naidoo has hand-picked a team of investigators to track down reggae star Lucky Dube's killers, it was announced on Friday.

"Commissioner Naidoo has expressed his abhorrence at this murder and has appointed an investigation team," said Superintendent Eugene Opperman.

'Rather experienced'

"He's got a a lot of confidence in this team, who will do everything possible to identify and arrest those responsible for this.

"Director Charles Johnson, a very experienced senior detective in Gauteng, will now oversee every step of the investigation."

Opperman said the seven-member squad was "rather experienced".

- SAPA