Human target
Gunshot victim ‘was waiting for hit to happen’
“HE feared for his life. He told me someone wanted him dead.”
After seeing his friend lying dead in a pool of blood following a fatal shooting at his Cactus Drive residence in Empangeni on Thursday morning, a close friend revealed that the deceased continuously feared for his life and thought ‘someone’ was out to get him.
This after the life of loving father Sphamandla Buthelezi (47) was snuffed out when two gunmen shot him dead inside his premises.
According to reports, the victim was about to leave for work when he stopped in his driveway to check on his leaking water meter outside the gate.
While he was inspecting the meter, two men approached him and he quickly headed back into the house.
The gunmen then followed him inside the premises and shot him several times by the main door.
When emergency services arrived at the scene, they confirmed the family’s worst nightmare – Buthelezi was already dead.
“His teenage daughter screamed inside the house as the shots resonated across the neighbourhood.
“This was definitely a planned hit, and I know this because he would often tell me that someone close to him was planning to kill him, and this happened numerous times.
“As a result, he would abandon his home and flee to Nongoma just to be safe,” said the distraught friend. According to shocked neighbours and friends, Buthelezi was a generous and loving man, who was well liked within the neighbourhood.
“He was a neighbourly person and we have known each other for years.
“We would share meals together as neighbours. He was one of the greatest people I have ever met,” said another neighbour close to the family, who was grappling to come to terms with what happened.
According to the SAPS King Cetshwayo Cluster spokesperson, Captain Siyanda Shangase, a case of murder was opened at Empangeni SAPS and a massive manhunt was launched.
“Suspects are unknown at this stage but no arrests as yet, and an intensive investigation is continuing,” said Shangase.
In a surprising twist of events, the house where Buthelezi was brutally killed has been known as a ‘house of death’ after a father and son were shot and killed there several years ago.