It was a grim Christmas for the family of taxi operator Mbuyiseni Allen Buthelezi.
Mr Buthelezi received a call on Christmas day from an unknown person who requested to meet with him. On Tuesday morning his family found his body in Hazelmere, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). He had been killed in what appeared to be an execution; there were two gunshot wounds in the back of his head.
Prem Balram, spokesman for security services provider Reaction Unit South Africa (Rusa), said they received a call for assistance at 6.42am on Tuesday. They arrived on scene a short while later.
Paramedics and reaction officers found the victim was deceased. He suffered two gunshot wounds to the back of his head, a partial decapitation from a deep cut to his neck and bodily wounds, said Mr Balram.
“According to his family, the deceased was a taxi operator and was in the company of his conductor on Christmas Day. At approximately 1pm, Mr Buthelezi received a call on his mobile phone from a person requesting to meet. The conductor was dropped off at his home and Mr Buthelezi drove off to meet with the unknown person,” said Mr Balram. “After that he could not be located, and his calls went unanswered.
“On Tuesday morning his family received information that Mr Buthelezi’s taxi was seen along a dirt road. When they got to the scene, they found the taxi abandoned with the engine running. After a brief search, the body of the deceased was located in a bush several metres away from his vehicle. Officers recovered spent 9mm cartridges in the vicinity.”
The victim’s wallet, cash and mobile phone were not taken. A .45 caliber handgun belonging to the deceased could not be located.
A case of murder is being investigated, said Mr Balram.
