Political parties express shock

2005-09-28 13:31

Johannesburg - Political parties on Wednesday reacted with shock to the murder of mining magnate Brett Kebble and called for a speedy investigation into his death.

The African National Congress, of which Kebble was a member, said it was "shocked and saddened" by his death.

"The ANC trusts the SA Police Service will do everything possible to establish the circumstances of his killing and bring those responsible to book," the party said in a statement.

The ANC also expressed its deepest sympathies and condolences to the Kebble family on "their sudden and tragic loss".

The Democratic Alliance expressed its condolences to the Kebble family, and said it hoped the police would solve the murder soon.

"Given the extreme nature of the crime and the prominent role played by the deceased in South African politics and business, it is important that the police get to the bottom of this matter urgently in the public interest," said DA spokesperson Helen Zille.

United Democratic Movement (UDM) leader Bantu Holomisa said: "Such assassinations could easily undermine investment in the country. It should be investigated thoroughly and quickly, so that we don't allow the development of a culture of settling differences through the barrel of a gun."

Holomisa described Kebble as a fighter and a pioneer, a person "who fought for what he believed in, whether it was fashionable or not".

Kebble was first in the country to embrace the need for empowering other South Africans.

"His dedication and work rate in his businesses was legendary. He was similarly enthusiastic in every aspect of life. When he did things, half measures were never good enough."

Forty-one-year-old Kebble, the son of mining giant Roger Kebble, was gunned down in a hail of bullets around 21:00 on Tuesday on his way to a dinner date.

His body was found slumped in the driving seat of his German luxury vehicle parked halfway up the pavement, on a bridge over the M1 freeway.

Holomisa said Kebble was "a dreamer with a sense for the grand and the bold, but coupled with the realism and work ethic to actually achieve his impressive goals.

"We sincerely hope that the security forces will swiftly find and prosecute the perpetrators of this ghastly deed."

The Inkatha Freedom Party expressed concern over the way in which Kebble was killed.

"This quite clearly looks like a carefully laid out assassination and one wonders whether he fell prey to a Mafia-style unit which was following him in order to murder him."

The IFP urged the police leave no stone unturned in its investigation into the matter.

It added: "We hope that members of the business community and potential investors in this country are not going to be discouraged by this incident."

Independent Democrats leader Patricia de Lille said Kebble's murder was likely to have had both a political and economic motive.

- SAPA