South African singer Lucky Dube was shot dead on Thursday evening in Johannesburg, as thieves tried to steal his car. In the evening, while he was in Rosettenville with his two children, aged 15 and 16, men opened fire, police spokeswoman Captain Cheryl Engelbrecht said, adding that police would "turn over every stone" to find those responsible. The case has taken on considerable proportions, Lucky Dube being particularly famous and respected in his country.
This weekend, the local press unanimously paid tribute to the singer. Crime, the scourge of South Africa, was of course denounced. Hailing an artist "exceptional and renowned throughout the world", President Thabo Mbeki offered his condolences to the family. "We must mourn the death of an exceptional South African and commit ourselves to acting together to combat the scourge of crime, which has taken so many lives, and continues to do so every day," he added. Lucky Dube began his reggae career in 1984 with "Rasta Never Die", in which he denounced the ravages of apartheid, and which was censored by the government at the time. Success came in 1989 with The Prisoner, followed by "House of Exile" the next year. With his latest album, "Respect", in 2006, Lucky Dube leaves behind 21 albums.