Update: Hit men gun down ‘Bazooka’
No arrests have been made yet and police are still investigating.
HIT MEN pretending to be policemen allegedly gunned down taxi boss Sikhosiphi ‘Bazooka’ Rhadebe at his Amadiba home last Tuesday.
However, there seems to be little sympathy for the man in some quarters as he is said to have terrorised many in the community.
Mr Rhadebe was also chairman of the Amadiba Crisis Committee which is fighting against an Australian mining company moving into the area, leading to speculation that this could have been the motive.
There has been an ongoing battle with residents who don’t want the mine, with some even taking to the hills to hide out of fear for pro-mining ‘bullies’.
The mining company has distanced itself from shootings that took place in Xolobeni last year and Mr Rhadebe’s murder.
However, there is also speculation that his death could also be linked to taxi wars.
“Strange things are happening,” said a source who wanted to remain anonymous.
“The hit might have been due to a number of issues within the association. We don’t know, but ‘Bazooka’ made many enemies way before this mining proposal came.
“He was known to intimidate people and everyone feared him in the area. That is the truth. I’m not condoning this inhuman act, but let us do away with this norm of praising people as heroes when we all know the kind of pain they have inflicted on innocent people.
“These kinds of people only do things that benefit themselves.”
Spokesman for Uncedo Taxi Association (Mzamba), Phakamile Mthombeni, also distanced the association from the shootings.
He said that they had lost a good mentor.
“We are saddened by the passing of ‘Bazooka’. He gave us good guidance and advice. Our hearts are bleeding,” said Mr Mthombeni.
Various civil society organisations – like ‘Right 2 Know’ – have spoken out about the murder and are linking it to the mine fight.
They have called for swift police action.
Their statement read: “Our hearts go out to ‘Bazooka’s family and the community. There is an existing pattern of criminal attacks on civil society formations, especially those in townships and rural areas. For years, poor people‘s movements in different parts of the country have experienced regular intimidation and harassment against their members. We cannot afford to remain silent in the face of these attacks as every one of them is an attack on democracy itself”.
Coastwatch KwaZulu-Natal also expressed its horror at the shooting, saying that the lure of ‘personal riches for a few’ had trumped the community’s expressed preference for sustainable development.
Chairman of Coastwatch, Roderick Bulman, said that it was not too late for the government to make a decision ‘that places the choice of South Africans ahead of those of predatory foreign businesses whose short term profits are being prioritised ahead of the sustainability of the communities’.
Mr Mthombeni funeral arrangements have been made for this Saturday at his Mdatya home in Amadiba from 9am. Mdatya is 20km from Port Edward.
Police are still investigating the murder.
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