By Anil Singh.
Police have arrested the son of Joseph Shabalala, the world-famous lead singer of Ladysmith Black Mambazo, in connection with the murder of his stepmother Nellie Shabalala two weeks ago.
The 42-year-old son, Nkosinathi Shabalala, a teacher and a musician in his own right as a member of the group White Mambazo, will appear in court on Monday.
A grieving Joseph Shabalala was told the news on Thursday while preparing to leave for London to sing for Queen Elizabeth at a concert at Buckingham Palace as part of her Jubilee celebrations.
Police Superintendent Vish Naidoo said detectives of the Durban South Task Team, headed by Captain Neville Eva, arrested a man on Thursday. "We can confirm that the man arrested is a relative of the Shabalalas. Another arrest is imminent," said Naidoo.
Speaking to the Daily News on Thursday, Joseph Shabalala said: "I have just paid my last respects to my wife and left Ladysmith at 2.30am (on Thursday) for Durban. I am going to London later (on Thursday) to perform for the Queen at the weekend. All I need now is some strength.
"I have heard about the arrest of a family member, but the police have not told me anything at this stage. I am shocked to hear that it is a relative of mine who has been arrested for my wife's murder," he said.
It was believed that the motive for the killing was a family feud involving money. Captain Eva said detectives arrested the self-employed man at his home in Pinetown.
"The man was asleep when we arrived to arrest him. There is still a lot of investigating to do. We are likely to take the man to court on Monday.
"Our detectives worked non-stop on the case. A breakthrough came after we received information from members of the community, and the R50 000 reward will be paid, if a conviction is secured, to those who gave us information," said Eva.
Nellie was shot by a gunman after the Shabalalas arrived at their old home in Clermont for a church meeting. When her husband tried to intervene, the man fired another shot and ran away.
Nellie was taken to Crompton Hospital, where she died. Soon after the death of his wife, Shabalala said he believed she had been the victim of a hired gunman and that the motive was jealousy.
Meanwhile, police said that 32-year-old Sabelo Ngidi, of Umlazi, who was arrested last week in connection with the murder, would appear in court again on Friday.