Gangster-style farewell to armed robbers shot dead

A third robber, Bongani Nokwe, 39, who was also died in a hail of bullets, will be buried today.

A fourth robber who escaped is still on the run from police.

The road leading to an open field where the funeral service took place was blockaded by several luxury vehicles including Range Rovers, Jeeps and BMWs. Men and women, dressed in their best, bade farewell to the two men who were known as criminals.

Inside the huge white tent lay two coffins. Both were closed and draped in blankets in keeping with Zulu tradition. Around the coffin sat mothers, aunts and siblings. One of the men was to be married; both had children.

Outside, loud music played, booze flowed and several men fired their guns into the air.

To their victims they were monsters. To their families, they were breadwinners.

Dube’s fiancé wrote a tribute which was read at the service. “I will always cherish the good times we had together. You were so faithful and you never disappointed me. You were the man who gave everything to his family. When I had your child, you stood by me and even paid lobola to my family.”

A relative who spoke at the funeral said the family never questioned what work the men did.

“He was a true man who provided for the family. When a man is able to play his role, you don’t question his whereabouts because at the end of the day he respected the family and helped where he could.

“Even on the day he died, I thought he had gone to work like he used to, but God had other plans for him.”

She added: “You lived your life to the fullest and that is why today you shall be remembered.”

As her speech ended the crowd of several hundred people rose to dance to the song You the boss by Rick Ross and featuring Nicki Minaj.

The police kept their distance at the funeral service. However, as the mourners made their way to the cemetery, they kept close watch, closing off roads as the convoy of private vehicles and four buses made their way to the grave site.

A few people were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol and for not having valid driver’s licences.