Woman set to appear today after fatal stabbing of Skwatta Kamp member
JOHANNESBURG: A 26-yearold woman, arrested in connection with the murder of top South African group Skwatta Kamp member Nkululeko Habedi – known as Flabba – is expected to appear in the Alexandra Magistrate’s Court today, Gauteng police said.
The police were called to Habedi’s Alexandra home at 4am yesterday, where the 38year-old musician was killed, Lieutenant Colonel Katlego Mogale said yesterday.
“The deceased was stabbed to death. The suspect was arrested on the scene.”
She was allegedly Habedi’s girlfriend.
Family spokesman Tshepang Habedi said his brother was stabbed once in the heart.
Everything had been finally coming together for Habedi. Late last year he began making his hip-hop comeback, producing his first single in years and featuring in one of this year’s biggest songs, Do Like I Do.
“His career was coming up again. It was exciting even for me,” said local musician Ishmael Morabe, who was shocked when he heard the rapper was killed in his home.
As part of the top seven- piece hip-hop act Skwatta Kamp, Habedi gave the music genre the jolt it needed in South Africa.
In 2003, two years after their celebrated, independently released Skwatta Kampain 2001 debut album, the group signed a widely publicised multimillion-rand deal with Gallo – opening the doors for many underground rap artists.
Morabe said: “He was a cool guy, always joking around. I don’t know anybody who had beef with him.”
Last November, Habedi signed on to Tabure Thabo Bogopa jr, aka JR’s, label Feel Good Music. By then he had featured on DJ Sliqe’s song Do Like I Do with rapper Kwesta.
He followed that with a single featuring JR called Nayinkinga.
Almost 8 000 people saw him perform at last weekend’s AxecessJozi concert and screamed when he came on stage as a surprise guest.
Close friend and fellow Skwatta Kamp member Siyabonga “Slikour” Metane smiled as the man he calls his brother pleased the crowd.
Writing about Habedi’s death on his blog, Metane said yesterday: “In the last three weeks we were talking more often, and I wonder what else I would have said if I knew this was God’s way of telling me he’s saying farewell… to not only me, but to all of us that heard him the last time on the Do Like I Do track, on Live Amp this past Friday, on stage at the AxecessJozi event on Saturday and Sunday at Smakx and JR’s event.”
Metane spoke of Habedi’s love for Alexandra and his family.
“Flabba always talked about his daughter, and even in our last conversation a few weeks ago he was talking about how he wanted to always make sure his kids were taken care of,” said Metane.
He wanted to always make sure his kids were taken care of