Kebble+shot+dead,+Star+Front+Page



=**Kebble shot dead**=


 * Magnate’s body found in car in posh Joburg suburb**


 * Front Page, The Star, Johannesburg, September 28, 2005**


 * By Jonathan Ancer and Nicky Smith**

Brett Kebble, the controversial mining magnate, has died in a hail of bullets.

A witness, who arrived on the scene before the police, said his blood-splattered body was found slumped over the steering wheel of his silver Mercedes-Benz at about 9.30 last night.

“There was blood everywhere. Whoever this guy was, he had pissed someone off. Someone wanted him dead – there can be no doubt. The car was riddled with bullet holes,” said the witness, who declined to be named.

Kebble’s shocked spokesperson, David Barrit, confirmed last night that the 42-year-old had been found dead in Melrose Road, northern Johannesburg.

Barrit said he had been shot five times. “I don’t know if it was a hijacking gone wrong or a hit. I just don’t know,” he said.

Confirming the death, Johannesburg police spokesperson Superintendent Chris Wilken said Kebble was driving when another vehicle drew near and its occupants opened fire.

“He had injuries to his upper body. He was found dead at the scene. We are not sure if there are witnesses.”

Gauteng Police Commissioner Perumal Naidoo and other top brass were on the scene last night but the police were reluctant to divulge whether they believed it was an assassination or a botched hijacking.

Barrit said: “Brett was the most incredibly generous, kind and larger-than-life personality. His contribution to the mining industry will come to be recognised as very considerable.”

A commentator said Kebble had many enemies and his controversial business dealings had made him a target.

“The list of people who had a problem with him was long.

“For some he was a crook whose empire had collapsed.

He had jumped into bed with the ANC Youth League, sponsored arts awards and was also believed to have been one of former deputy president Jacob Zuma’s benefactors.

“For others, he was a creative and quick-thinking businessman who dared to make deals that others shied away from.

“To try to pick out his enemies would be difficult. He made an enormous number of empowerment deals but many had fallen apart. Who did he cross in the past 10 years? Take your pick,” the commentator said.

“He was a flamboyant, larger-than-life character who took risks – he had walked the line between what is legal and what is illegal so many times.”

Kebble’s company, RandGold & Exploration, was kicked off the Nasdaq in the United States last week.

He had to resign from his executive positions at JCI, RandGold & Exploration and Western Areas last month, and he had frequently been investigated by the Scorpions.

There were also criminal charges hanging over him over share manipulation.

Despite the setbacks, he remained upbeat about life, said the commentator. “He was planning to lose weight and get back into shape – and take his first holiday in 14 years. He also wanted to make a business comeback.

“ ‘I’m going to transform the economy, I want to do more empowerment deals,’ he said.

“He had been involved in 40 empowerment deals in the past 18 months. He had made many enemies along the way and any number of them who felt that they had been cheated could have been behind the killing.

“He was worth hundreds of millions – he made money, he lost money,” the commentator added.

“We knew that either this guy was going to be the greatest corporate success or he was going to wind up in jail. He has wound up dead.”

Matodzi Resources chief executive officer Sello Rasethaba, a business partner and close friend, said Kebble was meant to join him for dinner last night.

“I invited him for dinner after the difficult time he has been experiencing.

“Brett was supposed to arrive for dinner at 9pm because he had a late-night meeting at his home.

“I don’t know how this could have happened, as he was always careful with security.”


 * From: http://www.thestar.co.za/index.php?fSectionId=128&fArticleId=2893635**