Mbeki Bodyguard Gunned Down: SA Media Quiet

Mbeki’s bodyguard of 13 years was gunned down last night at his home in a township North of Pretoria.

According to ETV reports, Captain Francois Ramashile received three bullets, fatally wounding him. His wife was unharmed and nothing was stolen from his Shoshaguve home. Police have opened a murder investigation, although the possibility of an assassination has not been ruled out.

I unfortunately didn’t have a chance to read the papers today, but I have been looking through my regular online media sites, and it seems eerily quiet out there. Our local media, excluding ETV, have not made mention. Other international publications have however taken note, including the International Herald Tribune, Bloomberg and the New York Times.

Perhaps SA journos are preoccupied with the outcome of the ANC’s National Executive Committee discussions as to whether or not they’ll be asking the President to resign, but surely the uncanny timing of a story such as this is newsworthy?

Is it just me or is it getting a little chilly in here?