Everson Luhanga
On Tuesday night, a taxi boss was shot 18 times while buying alcohol in preparation for his wedding later this month.
Sphamandla Mseleku, 41, ran a taxi rank in Nquthu, Durban. According to his nephew, Musa Khuzwayo, he travelled to Johannesburg to buy supplies for his wedding party.
He was shot down at the Sangweni taxi rank in Tembisa, Ekurhuleni.
In the aftermath, three suspects jumped in a white Toyota Corolla and sped away as the police gave chase.
The police said the suspects’ vehicle was pursued by police from the scene of the crime to a Vusimuzi informal settlement, where they abandoned the vehicle and ran away on foot.
Tembisa South police spokeswoman Captain Nelda Sekgobela said in a statement issued afterwards that the vehicle was taken to the station.
In an extraordinary turn of events, the suspect who had allegedly driven the vehicle went to Tokoza police station to claim ownership of the car.
He alleged that he was hijacked in front of Ehlanzeni Hostel in Tembisa South.
Sekgobela’s statement read: “When asked why didn’t he report his case at Tembisa South police station, he told the police that the suspects dropped him between N12 and R59 roads. That’s the reason why he came to Tokoza to report the matter.
“Officers from Tokoza brought him to Tembisa South for interrogation. While still at the police station, one of the police officers who was chasing the suspects recognised the man to be one of the three who jumped out of the getaway car and went away on foot.”
The man was arrested and detained, but the two other suspects are still at large.
Musa said the distraught family remains confused as to why the suspects murdered his uncle, and why they had to make sure that he was dead.
“Police told us that there were more than 18 holes in my uncle’s body.
“It shows how cruel the suspects were and they wanted him dead,” he said.
Captain Sekgobela said the investigation into the murder is ongoing.
