Pretoria - Polokwane mayor John Mpe has vowed to look into increasing visibility of law enforcement in the Limpopo capital city following the death of a 51-year-old university lecturer, who was gunned down while jogging on Sunday morning.
Professor Mohamed Saber Tayob, a lecturer and director of the School of Accountancy at the University of Limpopo, was sprayed with bullets while on his morning jog near his home in the suburb of Bendor.
In a video that has gone viral on social media, a white VW Polo is seen driving past Tayob, then it reverses and a passenger disembarks, to open fire at the professor, killing him instantly.
Speaking to Pretoria News, Mpe said: “The professor was leading a healthy life and on his morning jog, and was gunned down. We are going to look into increasing visibility of law enforcement in our city.” He expressed his condolences to the family of the slain lecturer.
Among those who responded to the video, Action SA leader Herman Mashaba wrote on social media: “My personal view – I would not give these heinous criminals another chance in life to kill someone else. Just imagine the human rights of this innocent victim, his family and all us as a broader society. I am traumatised by this image. ANC government must go.”
The university and the Faculty of Management and Law said they were devastated by Tayob’s death. Vice-chancellor and principal Professor Mahlo Mokgalong expressed “shock and dismay at the passing of one of the university’s rising academics and leaders”.
The South African Institute of Chartered Accountants said it noted with shock and dismay the shooting of one of its members.
Spokesperson Kgauhelo Dioka said Tayob was deeply involved in their structures. “Professor Tayob was instrumental in the University of Limpopo gaining SA Institute of Chartered Accountants accreditation to offer the Bachelor of Accounting Science and Postgraduate Diploma in Accounting in 2011 and 2017 respectively.”
Tayob joined the university in October 2009 as a senior lecturer of accounting and auditing, earning promotion to associate professor in July 2017.
Pretoria News