Chairman+of+Friends+of+JZ+Trust+dies+after+being+shot,+Mercury

The Mercury, September 06, 2006 //Edition 1//
=Chairman of Friends of JZ Trust dies after being shot=


 * By Mercury Reporters**

African National Congress (ANC) Deputy President Jacob Zuma on Tuesday expressed shock at the murder of the chairperson of the Gauteng branch of the Friends of Jacob Zuma Trust, Zobaphi Sithole.

Sithole died in hospital on Tuesday after seven bullets were pumped into him by gunmen in Soweto.

He had been preparing to travel to Pietermaritzburg to attend the first day of Zuma's corruption trial when he was shot late on Monday afternoon. Sithole was rushed to Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, but died on Tuesday.

'Concerned and upset'
Speaking outside the court on Tuesday, Zuma said Sithole's murder came after the death of the first chairperson of the trust in Gauteng, George Nene, who had died in a "suspicious" road accident. Sithole's murder suggested there might have been foul play in Nene's death. Zuma said he was very "concerned and upset" at the news, while Cosatu secretary-general Zwelinzima Vavi said he thought Sithole's death was a "hit".

Vavi said Zuma's supporters were suspicious that they were being targeted and called on the police to investigate the circumstances of Sithole's death. Lucky Zibi, also a member of the Jacob Zuma Trust, was with Sithole when he was shot.

Zibi said he and Sithole were moving Friends of Jacob Zuma T-shirts from his car to Sithole's shortly before the latter was attacked. He had gone to move his car when gunmen opened fire on Sithole.

"I heard gunshots, which went on for a while. I saw people run in all directions and I went back to where Sithole's car was parked," said Zibi.

He said he had found Sithole lying a few metres from his car, still breathing but unable to talk. He did not see who had shot Sithole. "The Friends of Jacob Zuma Trust has lost one of its dedicated members," said Zibi, adding that he did not want to speculate on the motive for Sithole's murder.

In his address to Zuma's supporters at the court, ANC Youth League firebrand Fikile Mbalula tore into Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who recently advised Zuma not to avail himself for the presidential race.

"There is no demigod called Archbishop Tutu. Tutu must not expect people not to respond to him when he talks politics," said Mbalula. From: http://www.themercury.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=3426379**

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