Lucky Dube Runs Out of Luck

Crime has been out of control for some time in South Africa and perhaps it will take the murder of a national icon to get the government to do something about it.

Don't hold your breath, though.

The South African music legend Lucky Dube, an icon across the continent, was shot dead late last night in an apparent botched hijacking, police said.

Captain Cheryl Engelbrecht said the incident took place at about 8.20 pm after Mr Dube, 43, dropped off his son at friend’s home in the southern Johannesburg suburb of Rosentville.

The killing, which follows a vicious murder and rape in Pretoria earlier this week, is certain to push the crisis over South Africa’s out of control crime back into the headlines and risks overshadowing Saturday’s Rugby World Cup final against England which has dominated the headlines all week.