Lucky Dube: Reggae Star Killed in South Africa Carjacking

[SOS]

Source: New York Times

The New York Times, October 20, 2007

October 20, 2007
Reggae Star Killed in South Africa Carjacking

By MICHAEL WINES
JOHANNESBURG, Oct. 19 — A team of gunmen shot and killed Lucky Dube, an international reggae star and one of the nation’s best-known musicians, apparently in a carjacking attempt late Thursday that underscored the continuing peril of violent crime here.

The police said Mr. Dube, 43, was shot by three assailants in Rosettenville, just south of downtown Johannesburg, as he dropped off his 15-year-old son at his brother’s house. Mr. Dube’s son was in the car at the time, they said.

The attackers fled after Mr. Dube crashed his Chrysler into a tree. He died at the scene.

On Friday, Mr. Dube’s Web site, luckydubemusic.com, said his death “leaves a great void in the music industry as 25 years of music suddenly ends in tragedy.”

Mr. Dube began as a singer of traditional African songs but swept to international stardom in the 1980s when he began singing reggae. He recorded 22 albums during his career and worked with Peter Gabriel, Seal and other Western singers, but he spent most of his time in Africa, where his base of fans was strongest.

He is survived by a wife and seven children.



Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/20/world/africa/20safrica.html?_r=1&oref=slogin&ref=world&pagewanted=print

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Heartbreaking.

[MADem]

1. How horrific. Poor bastard wasn't so lucky, I guess.

I guess ballistic protection on one's vehicle is well advised there. That's a shame.

I feel particularly sorry for his kid--imagine how screwed up that kid's head is right now?

[guruoo]

2. Vigilante attacks after Dube murder

October 20 2007 at 11:56AM

By Kashiefa Ajam, Sheree Béga, Nape Raditlhare and Janet Smith

<snip>

Fed-up South Africans, outraged at Dube's death, were reclaiming their streets from the criminals.

According to an eyewitness in Bez Valley, a woman was on her way to work when she was attacked by a man who stole her handbag. Her screams alerted a group of Athlone High School boys, who then chased after him.

<snip>

"They caught him and held him down. Between 15 and 20 people heard the commotion and ran to where the boys were. They beat him up and all the while telling him that it was people like him who had gunned down Lucky Dube."

<snip>

Late on Friday, police were still questioning Dube's two teenage children, Nonkululeko and Thokozani, who witnessed the botched hijacking of his car in Rosettenville on Thursday night. The singer was killed while driving them to a family member's house in the Joburg suburb at about 8.20pm.

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=15&art_id=vn20071020090324253C740158

[tekisui]

3. Tragic Irony. Dube sang a lot against crime and violence.

Many of his songs shined a light on the problems in his country. A true lose.

[TroubleMan]

4. Very sad.

nt.

[kcdoug1]

5. OMG!

I LOVED Lucky's music and message. What a very, very sad day. Rest in Peace Lucky

:cry: :cry:



"We are the victims, everytime"..Lucky Dube

[tabatha]

6. It is a huge loss

not only to South Africa but the world.

There have been 3600+ comments from around the world on the BBC forum:
http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?forumID=3704&edition=2&ttl=20071020224310

The people who worked with him are devastated:
http://www.news24.com/News24/Entertainment/Local/0,,2-1225-1242_2205351,00.html

You can see many of his videos on YouTube.

I discovered him in the late 1980s and listened to his music for over 20 years, as well as other African musicians.

If I am devastated, his family and fans in South Africa must be going through something unimaginable.

Many are angry.

I hope his legacy is that something gets done about the violence in that country.