Blessed Katiyo in JOHANNESBURG
WHAT started as a beautiful birthday evening ended in tragedy for popular socialite Slyvester Mabuda after he was killed by ruthless thugs along the N4 Highway in Diepsloot, north of Johannesburg.
Mabuda, popularly known as Sly, turned 30 on Saturday.
He was having fun with friends in the VVIP section at the Jah Prayzah show at Jacaranda Lounge.
He even jokingly requested this reporter to take a picture for publication in H-Metro to “inform” the nation of his birthday.
He was in the company of renowned promoter Felistas Chizororo of CC Promotions.
Little did we know it was going to be the last photo.
After the Jah Prayzah show around 1am, Mabuda and best friend, Larry Mushope, were on their way back home to Pretoria, when tragedy struck.
“When we left, there was nothing amiss, we had travelled for about 20 kilometres when we felt that there was a problem with the rear tyre,” recalls Mushope.
“We had to stop as the car was now actually moving on the rim.
“We called for help from some of our friends and, in a flash, three men appeared from the dark.
“They were breaking empty bottles and brandishing guns and knives.”
Mushope added:
“Two of them violently went after Sly and one came to me. They assaulted us badly.
“They searched me and took everything, including my phone and wallet.
“They also took Sly’s things and ran back into the bushes. I was in a daze for some minutes and then regained consciousness.
“Sly then told me he had been injured in the scuffle and he was in pain.
“I then hobbled across the road to a complex that was close by to ask for help.
“We came back with the security guard manning that complex and when we got back to the car Sly was no more.”
The area where the incident happened is notorious for crime and the community there has been protesting over the increasing number of murders.
Many motorists have been murdered as the thugs throw metal spikes on the road to deflate tyres.
Once one stops, they pounce.
It is the same township where Zimbabwean Elvis Nyathi was burnt to death by a xenophobic mob in April last year.
Police and forensics experts then attended the scene and investigations are still going on.
Some preliminary reports appear to indicate that Sly died of a stab wound while other reports say he died from a gunshot wound.
A post-mortem was underway yesterday.
“It is a loss to the entertainment industry and he was one guy who always supported all artists from Zimbabwe.
“He would come with his friends just to support and it is indeed shocking that he is no more,” said promoter Chizororo who was with Mabuda in his final hours.
Mabuda was a father of two and his family is already in Pretoria for the funeral arrangements.