By Own Correspondent| Mystery surrounds circumstances which led to a local businessman being gunned down in a spray of bullets at Maphisa growth point.

Tapson Ncube, who had several business interests including mining, transport, retail, died on the spot following a shootout with unknown gunmen.

His killers however took nothing from the house and left Ncube’s terrified wife cowering in a bathroom as they fled the scene.

Sources said Ncube anticipated the attack as he allegedly told his wife to hide in the bathroom before his attackers sprayed their bedroom with bullets. His relatives said they were still in the dark over the issue.

“We were not there so we really don’t know what happened. What we know is that he was shot dead when unknown individuals raided his home this morning. His wife is the only one who could shed light on what transpired but she is not in a position to speak..

“No one saw the attackers. His wife was in the bathroom. That’s how she escaped. We don’t know the reasons behind the fatal shooting. We don’t know whether it was related to his business interests or personal life. But they did not steal anything from the house,” he said.

A source at Maphisa claimed Tapson’s killing, which he described as an assassination, was not a random attack. 

“From what I’m gathering, Tapson might have had legitimate businesses but it’s not all he was doing. Some of his businesses could have been just a way of cleaning his dirty money.

“There are claims that he was involved in several cash in transit heists in South Africa. As it stands there are claims that his attackers could be some of his close relatives who left him with substantial amounts of cash when they conducted raids in South Africa but he was no longer forthcoming in giving them back their loot.

Other sources claim his son was involved with nefarious characters whom he cheated out of the spoils of a robbery.

Tapson is said to have refused to divulge his son’s whereabouts leading to his death which was a form of retribution. National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said he would comment on the matter today.