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Five held in killing of SA reggae star

Lucky Dube - His death focuses new attention on South Africa's high crime rate
Lucky Dube - His death focuses new attention on South Africa's high crime rate

Five people have been arrested in connection with the murder of South African reggae star Lucky Dube.

The 43-year-old musician was shot three times in front of his two children on Thursday, in what police said was an attempted carjacking.

Police spokesman Superintendent Eugene Opperman said the five men arrested at a house east of Johannesburg would appear in court tomorrow.

The suspects were aged between 31 and 35 and most of them were Mozambican.

Suspected stolen goods were found in the house, police said.

The high-profile murder prompted new calls for a crackdown on violent crime in South Africa, which has one of the highest crime rates in the world.

Police figures showed the murder rate in rose 2.4% between 1 April, 2006 and 31 March, 2007 with 19,202 murders recorded.