Daily Sun (August 22 2013) - HE PLAYED it loudly on the hi-fi and sang along with it... Ka lifu laka le selle le rapele, le seke la mohanetsa ha a mpitsa morena - on my burial day don't cry but pray, don't deny God when He calls me. THE NEXT DAY HE WAS DEAD!

The body of tractor driver Tello Ntholeng was found only metres from his house on the farm Rusfontein, outside Bloemfontein, Free State. Cops say he had wounds either from a knife or a gun.

It was last Monday when Tello (38) sang along with the Sesotho lyrics of the hit Ka Lifu Laka, composed by popular songwriter Sello "Chicco" Twala for the Zion Christian Church.

His wife Pulane Shuping (35) complained it was too loud. She told Daily Sun: "I told him to stop, but he wouldn't. "He said I would miss him when he was gone. I thought it was one of his jokes, as he liked to joke a lot. I now realise my husband foresaw his own death," she sobbed.

When the song ended, Tello told Pulane he was going out to buy cigarettes, but he never came back. He was found dead on Tuesday morning hidden under a tree with two wounds on his stomach.

Composer Twala, who is also a singer and filmmaker, told Daily Sun: "I wrote the song about eight or nine years ago for the ZCC.

"I would not want to comment on people listening to the song and then dying."

Pulane said Tello worked hard on the farm for his family."We will be remembering him as a good man as he helped my family to bury my younger brother.

"He took care of me and my three kids from a previous marriage.

"My life will be empty without him," said Pulane.

Tello's sister Dikeledi Ntholeng said: "My brother had no enemies and most of the farm workers liked him.

"We wonder who killed him and why, but we are hoping cops will give us answers."

Police spokeswoman Constable Consolation Mokoale said cops are investigating a case of murder.

"At this stage it's not know whether the man was stabbed or shot. A post mortem will reveal the cause of death," said Mokoale.

See the Daily Sun mobi site for more on this and other stories....

The Daily Sun is South Africa's largest daily newspaper with an average circulation of 330 000 and a readership of 5.7m (as per AMPS 2012ab). Its Facebook page can be accessed here. It can be followed on Twitter here. To find about advertising on the Daily Sun click here.

Issued through the Politicsweb iService