How Lucky Dube was murdered because his killers thought he was Nigerian

• Lucky Dube was killed in 2007 during a failed car hijacking in Johannesburg.

• His attackers reportedly did not know who he was and only realised his identity after seeing news reports.

• Three men Sifiso Mhlanga, Mbuti Mabe, and Julius Gxowa, were later convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment in 2009.

Reggae star Lucky Dube was apparently shot dead because one of his assailants thought he was a Nigerian national.

New details surrounding the 2007 killing of South African reggae legend Lucky Dube reveal that his attackers were unaware of his identity at the time of the incident.

According to court records and police reports, the assailants had been targeting a specific vehicle, a Chrysler 300C, with the intention of hijacking it. Dube was driving the car when he was ambushed in Johannesburg, making him a target in what authorities described as a failed armed robbery.

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State witnesses indicated that the attackers mistakenly believed Dube was a Nigerian national, a factor that reportedly influenced their decision to pursue him. It was only after the incident, upon seeing media coverage, that they realised the victim was the internationally acclaimed musician.

One of the convicted men, Sifiso Mhlanga, later claimed from prison that the shooting was not premeditated. He stated that he opened fire in panic, believing Dube was reaching for a weapon, when in fact he was attempting to retrieve his car keys.

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In April 2009, three men, Sifiso Mhlanga, Mbuti Mabe, and Julius Gxowa, were sentenced to life imprisonment by the Johannesburg High Court. They were found guilty of murder as well as multiple counts of armed robbery linked to the incident.

The killing of Lucky Dube, one of Africa’s most celebrated reggae artistes, sent shockwaves across the continent and beyond. Known for his socially conscious music and global influence, his death highlighted the dangers of violent crime in South Africa at the time.

Nearly two decades later, the case remains one of the most tragic losses in African music history, with the circumstances of his death continuing to draw public attention and reflection.