During a street attack late Thursday, Lucky Dube, the well known South African reggae star was shot dead, police reports said.

The incident took place in Rosettenville district, where he had dropped of his son. Dube was attacked in an apparent car-jacking.

South Africa's Sapa news agency quoted police Captain Cheryl Engelbrecht as saying: "His son was already out of the car. When he saw what was happening, he ran to ask for help."

He also added that the son was still too traumatized to be able to give the police any other information and the hijackers are still free.

Lucky Dube was born in 1964. After having bad health in childhood, he succeeded to become a top and well known reggae performer. He recorded over 20 albums, such as Rastas Never Die, Think About The Children, Soul Taker, Trinity and his latest, Respect.

President Thabo Mbeki praised him as "an outstanding South African" and said the nation needed to "act together as a people to confront this terrible scourge of crime."