Fans reacted with fury yesterday to the murder of Lucky Dube, the biggest reggae star in Africa, who was killed in a botched carjacking attempt on the outskirts of Johannesburg.

Caller after caller, many in tears, rang in to early-morning radio shows to express disgust at the killing and vent their anger at a government that is widely perceived to be doing nothing to fight a crimewave that is out of control. Many said that the high-profile murder had taken the shine off the excitement before the Rugby World Cup final against England today in Paris.

Ivor Haarburger, the CEO of Gallo Records, the star’s recording label, said: “We are in shock: not only me but the whole company. He has been with us for over 20 years. It’s a real tragedy, not only to those in South Africa but also Africa and the rest of the world.” Dube was shot dead in front of his two children at about 8.20pm on Thursday soon after he dropped them off at their uncle’s home in the southern Johannesburg suburb of Rosettenville.

Abigail Kubeka, a fellow musician, said: “I don’t know what to say. A humble person like Lucky Dube dying in this way is very alarming. The death of a musician who preached peace and goodwill through his music has devastated me.”

Police said that Dube, 43, was travelling in a grey Chrysler and had just dropped off his son and daughter, aged 15 and 16, when he was attacked. Three carjackers fired at least three bullets into his body but then fled in a blue Volkswagen without stealing his car. Police have set up a special task force to trace a group of three suspected killers who are believed to be well-known local criminals. They said that the car had rolled down the road a few yards and then hit a tree. “He was declared dead on the scene,” Inspector Lorrain Van Immareck said.

The murder came just as the country was witnessing an outpouring of national pride in the Springbok rugby team and hoping for once to attract headlines other than about crime.

The issue of ever-worsening crime has cut across race lines and led to unprecedented criticism of the Government of President Mbeki. Last year one government minister provoked outrage when he said in parliament that “white whingers” should leave the country if they did not like it. It was seen as a turning point because many blacks and Coloureds then added their voice to criticisms of the Government’s failure to live up to promises to bring crime under control.

The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu), traditionally a strong ally of the ruling African National Congress (ANC), said that it was appalled and outraged at the murder and added its voice to calls for solutions to crime. For years the Government maintained that crime was not as bad as wealthy people claimed, but recently the statistics, such as 50 murders a day and one rape every 40 seconds, have begun to damage investment and alarm big business.

Mr Mbeki, who is often accused of being in denial on the issue, appealed to South Africans to confront the “scourge of crime” together. “This is indeed very, very sad that this happened to an outstanding South African, an outstanding musician,” he said as he was boarding a flight to today’s match in Paris.

Explore Music

• CD Reviews

• Live Reviews

• Classical

Editor's choice

• The 100 Best Films of the Decade
• 70 facts you didn't know about Marvel
• The 50 Biggest Movies Of 2010