A LONG-TIME friend to South Africa-based Zimbabwean
businessman, Bheki Ndlovu (44) who was recently slain in that country,
yesterday recounted how the tycoon was shot dead by a lone gunman in his
presence in what he suspects was a targeted killing.
Ndlovu (44) was killed on December 14 and is expected to be
buried at his rural home in Tsholotsho today. Mr Allan Chigome who is also in the cross-border
transportation sector, said he was with Ndlovu during the last minutes of his
life.
He narrated what he described as a split- second,
heart-wrenching moment that he has agonised over and replayed countless times
in his mind.
Mr Chigome said he ducked for cover and raised his head to
find Ndlovu dead. He then heard a squeal of tyres as the assassin sped off.
“He was my long-time
friend I can’t even remember when we first met. On the day of his fatal
shooting, his driver was readying to leave for Zimbabwe. Bheki loaded his vehicle at Ezinjeni, a
popular pick up point. He instructed the driver to proceed to the filling
station to fill up his tank as he was following behind to make the payment.
This was a normal routine for us,” said Mr Chigome.
“It was just the two of us in his car. As we arrived at the
service station his driver was still parked at the serving point. We were
exchanging general banter as we disembarked from the car. I remember he had
bought a few things and instructed me to put them in the driver’s seat.”
In a split second as he moved across the vehicle, I heard
gun shots. I scurried for cover and when I was confident that I was safe I was
gutted to discover Bheki had been shot dead.”
He said in his view, Ndlovu was targeted during the attack.
“That’s the only thing that makes sense. Why him alone if
it was random. No one else was shot. So, I’m clearly convinced that his killer
had a specific assignment, just to end his life. When we inquired about who had
done it, witnesses said they just saw him jumping into a vehicle and speeding
off. No one knows who he was,” he said.
Mr Chigome said prior to the shooting Ndlovu was relaxed
and appeared not to have a care in the world.
He described him as a very humble individual who assisted a
lot of people.
“His death has left me really shocked. I was forced to come
back home earlier than scheduled. I was also fearing for my life. It’s not easy
to just see someone you had been together with for the better part of the day
being shot dead point blank just before your eyes,” he said.
“At that moment I really felt it could have been me also.
He was such a humble person, assisting a lot of people who would be facing
challenges. He was in the transport sector for a very long time and some people
would negotiate that he ferries them even when they were broke, and he would
gladly do so. So, I don’t know who would want to kill him.”
Mr Chigome declined to be photographed saying he also
feared for his safety. Several conflicting claims have been made following Ndlovu’s
death.
Ndlovu’s family have partly blamed his wife Mrs Nomazwe
Ndlovu for his death claiming that she issued threatening messages to him a
week before he was shot dead.
Social media has been awash with claims that Ndlovu was
killed while on his way to Zimbabwe to divorce his wife of 25 years for having
an affair with a married UK based man, Jabulani also known as Christopher
Tshabalala.
The family is in possession of 66 videos of Mrs Ndlovu with
her lover, including sex tapes.
Mrs Ndlovu last week admitted having the side fling but
said her hands were clean while accusing her in laws of wanting to grab the
couple’s properties.
Mr Tshabalala’s wife who declined to have her first name
mentioned said she got hold of his phone when he was very drunk on the night of
Bheki’s murder, and saw the lovers’ WhatsApp chats and a suspicious secret
payment of $15 000 to be made in South Africa.
“I reported the matter to the police and forwarded messages
to my relatives and Bheki’s relatives when I realised that something could be
happening. My husband then wanted to harm me and I was put under police
protection. He was called in for questioning by Brighton police here in the U.K
He is my husband but if he has a hand in the death of an innocent man, then
justice must prevail and he must face the music,” said Mrs Tshabalala. Herald
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