A prominent South African nationalist guerrilla leader, Joe Gqabi, was assassinated by gunfire today as he backed his car out of the gates of his home in a suburb of Salisbury, the Government announced.
The administration of Robert Mugabe, Prime Minister and former Rhodesian guerrilla leader, issued a statement accusing South Africa of the assassination as part of a grand design to crush opposition at home and abroad to its racial policies.
Mr. Gqabi, the representative in Zimbabwe of the African Nationalist Congress and the target of a previous assassination attempt here, was shot in the head and chest in suburban Ashdowne Park. The Government statement, put out by Information Minister Nathan M. Shamuyarira, pledged Zimbabwe's continuing support ''for the just fight.''
The statement said that 18 cartridges had been found amid shattered glass fragments. A spokesman said he could not confirm reports that an Israeli-made Uzi submachine gun had been found at the scene, but he said that the Uzi uses similar ammunition.
Source: New York Times
