A struggle ensued between murdered reggae icon Lucky Dube and one of the accused before he was shot, the Johannesburg High Court heard on Monday.
State witness Thabo Maropeng, who was present during Dube’s murder, said accused one, Sifiso Mhlanga — who had managed to enter Dube’s Chrysler — shot Dube from the rear left door.
Maropeng said this happened while accused number two, Julius Gxowa, was trying to grab Dube’s hands as Dube tried to drive off.
”He wanted to drive off. His hands were on the gear [stick], so accused number two grabbed him and they were busy struggling in front. The driver hooted and that’s when the first shot went off,” said Maropeng, who had a just exited a green Polo Playa that had been used to drive to Rosettenville, where the shooting place.
One of the occupants who had been sitting in the front passenger seat ran away.
Maropeng said after a short while a second shot went off, and he ran back to the green Polo.
Accused number three, Mbuti Mabe, had remained in that Polo while all this happened.
”I then saw Gxowa stepping away from the vehicle and Mhlanga, who had been inside, also got out of the Chrysler.”
The three accused, as well as Maropeng, had been driving around Rosettenville looking for ”a target” when they spotted a Chrysler with its lights on outside a house.
Maropeng explained that they were driving around looking for a car to hijack, saying they usually targeted cars parked outside the driveway.
He also told the court that earlier that day, before going to Rosettenville, they went to Cleveland, Johannesburg, where he saw Mhlanga and Gxowa hijack a Range Rover.
The trial continues. — Sapa