Cape Town – The death of international mixed martial arts fighter Sboh Ceeh Khuboni, aka the Destroyer, in an alleged shootout with a cash-in-transit guard in KwaMashu, KwaZulu-Natal, has been met with a mixed response on social media
While some have offered their condolences, others have been less forgiving, especially since the 34-year-old Khuboni had also been involved in a hijacking incident in Sydenham in 2012 where Shaber Asmal was shot dead outside a mosque parking lot.
Police said two alleged robbers were killed in the shootout at the Bridge City Shopping Mall on Monday, while the remaining five robbers fled the scene in a minibus taxi.
One of the guards was treated for multiple gunshot wounds at the scene before he was airlifted to hospital by helicopter.
KwaZulu-Natal Hawks spokesperson Simphiwe Mhlongo said Khuboni and Mxolisi Mntungwa had been identified as the suspects who were shot in the attempted robbery.
Sheila Moodley said on Twitter: "So what if he is a martial arts expert. The fact remains he is a common thief. Robbing and looting people and the country of its hard earned money.
"These are the people that drive the economy down. What a disgrace they are. They want a high life..."
@TMsquaredMMA posted on Twitter: "So an MMA fighter with a good career was involved with hijackings in 2012 where a person passed away.
"Finally he dies at the hands of security guards after a cash in transit heist. Still he gets mourned... society hey."
"People are getting fed up, security finally fighting back against these thugs... So many people killed everyday by these hijackers and heisters, perhaps this is what we need from our security companies against these criminals," @DonMadgeMMA posted on Twitter.
Pictures of the crime scene circulating on social media showed a man on the floor wearing a balaclava and hand gloves with a rifle beside him. He has blood flowing from a wound under his balaclava.
A message posted on the C-3 Community Crime Cooperative Facebook page said: "MMA fighter. Friends send "condolences" because he was a "kind and gentle soul". It seems getting punched in the head too much brings on lapses in logic.
"One interesting aspect not yet explored will be the dead suspect's known accomplices. How many other hardened violent criminals are hiding in plain sight?"
Extreme Fighting Championship flyweight fighter Martin “The Diamond” de Beer told TimesLIVE he was shocked when he learnt that “Ceeh” was involved in criminal activities.
He had fought Khuboni, affiliated with Muay Thai MMA Boys, three times during his career between 2005 and 2012.
“He was a dangerous person in the ring – a hard guy. When I was matched up against him for the third time I knew it was going to be a tough fight.
“After our second fight we became friends – he was a cool guy. He even came down to train with me when I was based in Richards Bay. When I saw the pics of him circulating on social media I was shocked.”