Stray cattle: Guards severely beat man

SITEKI – A 52-year-old civil servant with a disability and employed at Big Bend Research Station, has claimed that he almost lost his left eye after being assaulted by security officers of Fidelity Security Services.

His cattle had been found grazing on cane fields.

According to Mphephiseni Dlamini, the incident happened on February 24 at New Farm at Sivunga area, when he met one of the security officers, while on his way to buy airtime.

Dlamini claimed that the security officer, whose particulars will be concealed for now as he has not been charged by the police and his matter has not been finalised internally, after the company instituted a disciplinary hearing, mentioned that he was assaulted with a sjambok on his left eye.

The civil servant alleged that he could not outpace his assailants due to that he had a disability after his right foot was stitched and toes were severed during an accident.

He said his home was left behind during the relocation of homesteads at the Sivunga community.

Dlamini stated that the security officer assaulted him all over the body and alleged that his cattle were grazing on cane fields belonging to Ubombo Sugar Limited (USL).

Fidelity Security Services was contracted by USL to be in charge of overseeing security within the sugar cane fields,

Mphephiseni Dlamini (52), who works at Big Bend Research Station, under the Ministry of Agriculture, had his left eye injured allegedly during an assault by employees of Fidelity Security Services. (R) Dlamini’s right foot that had its toes cut and stitched on the heel. houses, and mill and administration offices. He claimed that his sin was not being cooperative when he was instructed to accompany the security officers to a car parked nearby.

Adding, the civil servant said he reported the matter to senior officers at the company and also at the Big Bend Police Station. He claimed that some of the cattle that graze on the cane were from four communities, namely Maphungwane, Lukhetseni, Mambane and

Tikhuba.

Manhandled

Dlamini alleged that before being assaulted, he was manhandled by the security officers, whereby he was pushed and shoved until he fell to the ground. “I am a civil servant who walks with difficulties after I was involved in an accident. I told them that I was being assaulted for nothing, because the cattle they claimed destroyed the cane did not belong to me,” he said.

Fidelity Security Services Area Manager Sabelo Mbingo acknowledged the matter and mentioned that management had instituted internal hearing procedures with the implicated employees.

The manager said the matter was still under internal hearing processes, hence it would be improper for him to discuss it, for now, before the outcome of the hearing process.

Mbingo also shared that he knew Dlamini, who claimed to have been assaulted by employees of his company. “I know Dlamini and the matter is being dealt with internally under hearing processes and it will be improper to discuss it now until it has been finalised,” he said.