Taliep Petersen, one of Cape Town’s most popular theatre personalities, was shot and killed during an armed robbery at his Athlone home on Saturday night, police said on Sunday. He was 56.
Internationally known and awarded for his work with David Kramer on the hit 1990s stage musical Kat and the Kings (as well as the recent Ghoema, which explores the journey of slave music in South Africa from the 1600s onwards), Petersen this year released Deur Dik en Dun, his first Afrikaans album comprising compositions for the TV series Alie Barber.
Kat and the Kings — about a group of youngsters growing up in District Six and dreaming of fame as singers — has been performed around the world, from Cape Town to London’s West End and Las Vegas. Among its accolades were two Laurence Olivier theatre awards in London in 1999, for best new musical and best actor (a prize shared by the cast).
Petersen and Kramer also collaborated on District Six: The Musical, in the late Eighties, and other stage shows such as Musical Poison.
This year, he was a judge on kykNET’s Afrikaans version of TV talent show Idols, along with Mynie Grové and Deon Maas.
Superintendent Billy Jones said Saturday’s incident happened in Grassmere Street at about 11.45pm on Saturday.
”Although it cannot be confirmed, family members believe that the deceased opened the door after he heard the doorbell ring,” said Jones. ”The men threatened the deceased and six other family members with guns.”
They robbed Petersen’s family of their cellphones, watches and other small items before locking them inside their bedrooms, said Jones.
Petersen was then allegedly taken to the living room where he was robbed of cash and a cellphone. Electronic equipment was also taken from the room.
”According to family members, they heard one gunshot while they were still locked up in their bedrooms.
”The body of the deceased was found in the TV room with a bullet wound to the neck. His hands and feet were tied with tie strips,” said Jones.
The men allegedly fled in an unknown vehicle and were still at large.
A case of murder has been opened.
Petersen’s first role in musical theatre was as a cast member of the touring production Hair in Maseru, Lesotho, followed by performances in Godspell and Pippin.
In 1979 he studied at the Fitznell School of Music in Surrey, United Kingdom, and was so inspired by the UK’s West End shows that he wrote a revue based on his memories of New Year in Cape Town. This revue was called Carnival à la District Six.
In the 1980s, he started a successful band called Sapphyre, who played in hotels all over the country. The band released an album called Rosa, which reinterpreted traditional Cape Malay songs in a modern style.
In a 2005 interview with the Cape Argus, Petersen said: ”I’m a workaholic, involved in a zillion things. I come from a hard space in time, remember — I’m a proud child of District Six. I played in white clubs and had to enter through the back door, and I wasn’t allowed to mingle with the crowd.
”I’m living a life and a half. I’ve gone through different lives. I’ve been blessed, successful, thank God. I’m very grateful.”
Speaker of the Western Cape legislature Shaun Byneveldt said in a statement on Sunday that he was shocked and saddened by Petersen’s death. ”It is sad to see a talented icon of the Cape killed in such a cold-blooded way shortly before the year-end celebrations,” he said.
He said the legislature will pay its respects to Petersen’s life and work.
Democratic Alliance spokesperson for arts and culture Desiree van der Walt said Petersen had made an enormous contribution to South African theatre. ”His death leaves a giant void in our theatre industry,” she said. ”We trust that the SAPS [South African Police Service] will track down his killers as soon as possible.”