MOSSEL BAY NEWS - The Mossel Bay businessman fatally wounded when he was shot at close range, execution style on Thursday, 12 September, had been a "kindhearted man" and a pillar of the community.
Khayalethu (Whitey) Ntetha (46), who lived in Asla Park, owned buses and taxis.
KwaNonqaba Police Station spokesperson Sgt Kapp said that at 20:45 on 12 September, Ntetha was at his home, working on trailers with two staff, to prepare them for hitching on to vehicles, when two unknown men approached them.
They said they needed help with repairing their trailer which was on the N2 national road. Kapp said the two men suddenly pulled out pistols and shot Ntetha in the neck, chest, arm and head. He was rushed to hospital in a private vehicle and died in hospital of his wounds.
It is believed the attack is related to competition between taxi owners.
Attempts to speak to family members were unsuccessful as they were too grief-stricken to communicate.
Good hearted
A resident from Joe Slovo told the Mossel Bay Advertiser she once took a taxi to the Transkei, driven by Ntetha. "He was a good person, good hearted," she said. She would not give her name for fear of reprisals.
"If you did not have enough money to pay for the taxi he would tell you that you could pay at the end of the month.
"There's nobody like him in the community now. He was not a hard man." The woman said he had empathy for people. "He knew the suffering heart of the people. Lots of people are crying for him now. Also, he spoke nicely to people."
She said he was not rude as some taxi drivers could be.
No arrests have been made and the police ask that members of the public come forward with any information which could help in the investigation. Call the investigating office in the case, Sgt Ndala (044 606 5608 or 079 823 3923) at the KwaNonqaba Police Station if you are able to help.
The family communicated to Sgt Ndala that it preferred that a photograph of Ntetha not be published in the newspaper.
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