Hundreds of Taiwanese, Chinese and South Africans gathered to pay their last respects to murdered journalist Gino Feng in Edenvale on Saturday.
”He was my good teacher,” said Jason Wu, who has taken over from Feng as editor-in-chief of the China Express. ”This thing has shocked the Chinese community.”
Speaking after the memorial ceremony, Wu said the murder had united the Taiwanese and Chinese communities in mourning.
The Edenvale Baptist Church, east of Johannesburg, was filled with mourners, who heard MP Sherry Chen describe Feng as a high achiever and a leader ”loved by his community as well as his family”.
Feng (48) was gunned down on May 2 in an armed robbery at his home in Hurlyvale.
Born in Taiwan, he emigrated to South Africa in 1984, and in 1991 founded the China Express, which Chen described as ”the first newspaper that bridged Taiwan, China and South Africa”.
The newspaper is now published three times a week and has a circulation of 10 000.
Chen said Feng worked with the police to bring about peace and security.
About 10 years ago when a baby was shot dead in an armed robbery, he organised a massive protest rally.
She described him as ”passionate” about the dragon-boat festival, which he saw as an opportunity to celebrate Chinese culture and bring together the community.
Feng’s heartbroken wife, Jenny, told mourners her husband died protecting her and their two children. He died in front of them.
”Gino, my dearest love, you sacrificed your valuable life for us,” she said, while mourners wept. She promised to continue her husband’s work.
”I wish for just one last time I could lean against your shoulder while we sing our favourite song,” she said to the strains of the Righteous Brothers’ Unchained Melody.
Mourners watched a brief film of Feng’s life, and later filed past his coffin, bowing and placing white flowers on it.
Outside, hundreds of white flowers lined the path and a special newspaper edition paid tribute to Feng, showing photographs of him with family, friends and leaders including former president Nelson Mandela.
”He was a real leader. Nobody can replace him,” said Wu.
Describing Feng as a ”good guy” who did a lot for the community, Honeydew police station’s Commissioner Oswald Reddy said his death was a ”tragedy”.
Gauteng police Provincial Commissioner Perumal Naidoo was giving the investigation his personal attention, said Reddy. No arrests have been made yet.
”I’m going to look into it and take a personal interest as he was a personal friend,” he said. – Sapa